The Flipping 50 Show: Recent Episodes

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Solving sleep issues may have just gotten easier with today’s guest sharing her personal experience with CBD to help with Perimenopause Symptoms.

My guest today is a Flipping 50 community member who listened to a podcast and decided herself to try CBD when nothing she had been doing was working.

My Guest:

Laura Scott is a former banker and corporate trainer who left the business world and dedicated her time raising her children. Over the past four years she cared for her parents as they rapidly declined at the same time perimenopause came knocking at her door. As her symptoms increased, she was deeply saddened and angered by the hopeless messaging around here that aging is a curse.

Laura researched, overhauled her diet and healed many of her symptoms through nutrition. She knew she needed sleep to take her healing further and discovered Blue Sky CBD through the Flipping 50 podcast. She combined Blue Sky CBD with the sleep strategies to restore her sleep and live her days well.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• [00:16:49] What have you used in the Blue Sky product line? How did it help?
• [00:19:09] Curious about how you chose the CBD products to match symptoms?
• [00:21:04] How soon did you see results from using CBD?
• [00:24:40] Solving sleep issues with CBD, did anything else happen as a result?

Blue Sky CBD Products Used

1. Sleep Gel
2. Bath Bombs
3. Topical Balms

Advice to women who can’t sleep

• Clean up your diet.
• Drink your water.
• Eat your protein.
• Try hot baths and morning light.
• Get your circadian rhythm down.
• Try Blue Sky CBD

What “Cleaning Up Your Diet” Means

• Elimination diet: gluten, soy, dairy, peanuts, corn, sugar, eggs
• Reintroduction process
• Targeting 150g protein daily

Key Takeaways in Solving Sleep Issues

• Sleep is foundational. Without it, everything else suffers, from memory to motivation.
• CBD can be life-changing. Blue Sky CBD helped Laura improve sleep, manage stress, and support recovery.
• You are not alone. Many midlife women are quietly struggling. Sharing stories in Flipping50 Insiders Facebook Group can help others feel seen and supported.
• Information overload can be paralyzing. Go back to science.

Connect with Dr. Eric Dorninger, ND of Blue Sky CBD:

• Get your Blue Sky CBD here for 20% off Link: https://www.flippingfifty.com/blueskycbd

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Previous Episode - Women's Wellness Adventure Travel After 50
• Next Episode - Bladder Issues in Menopause - The Hidden Bacteria You Need to Know
• More Like This - Is CBD the Answer? How Women Use CBD to Manage Menopause

Resources:

• Short & Easy Exercise videos in this 5 Day Flip Challenge.
• Book a Discovery Call with Debra to talk about your own menopause or becoming a coach.

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What do you get when you combine wellness with adventure travel?

In Stacy Funt’s case, you get a new business. My guest today began her new business combining a love for travel and adventure with the need to fill a gap between empty nesting and grief and her new business was born.

In this episode, we unpack what her business looks like, what her brand of wellness adventure travel is, and how taking risk coming from a safe, secure paycheck looks and feels like.

No matter which part of this first attracts you, you may feel inspired after this episode.

My Guest:

Stacey Funt, MD, NBHWC, is a physician, certified health coach, and founder of LH Adventure Travel, a company specializing in small-group wellness adventures for women worldwide. Drawing on her medical expertise and love of travel, Stacey curates immersive experiences in breathtaking natural settings and vibrant cultural landscapes. Inspired by the pillars of well-being—movement, nourishing whole foods, relaxation, and sisterhood—her journeys leave women feeling deeply connected, rejuvenated, and inspired.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• [00:03:41] What inspired you, as a physician, to start a wellness adventure travel business at the age of 58?
• [00:09:22] How do you describe or what is your flavor of wellness adventure travel differ from traditional travel, and what benefits does it offer women in their 40s, 50s, and beyond?
• [00:12:34] Are you practicing medicine? Are the travels for consumers, practitioners or both?
• [00:13:29] Any memorable stories or transformation from one of your travel adventures?
• [00:16:14] What advice would you give a woman dreaming about a wellness adventure or retreat feeling?
• [00:21:59] What advice would you give a woman dreaming about a wellness adventure or retreat but feeling hesitant or unable to commit?
• [00:31:14] Talk about the need to take risks in this new business endeavor and any struggles you had with that.

Thinking About Going On A Women's Wellness Adventure Travel After 50?

LH Adventure Travel

• A week-long weekend adventure of women in 40s to 60s
• Based on lifestyle medicine with 6 basic tenets

• Comes with 4 itineraries:

• 1. Movement (hiking, kayaking, biking, etc.)
  2. Healthy Eating
  3. Stress Management (spa, yoga, etc.)
  4. Community and Sisterhood (community circles with questions, get togethers, etc.)

Why go on a Wellness Adventure Travel After 50?

• We won’t have these opportunities forever.
• Tap into your desire. Let it move you into a direction on how to live.
• “Tell me, what do you plan to do with your one, wild, precious life” - quote by Mary Oliver, shared by Stacey Funt

Advice on taking risks

• There are no guarantees, there are no guidebooks, there are no set paths.
• It’s scary to take a risk, but do something different and tell everybody about it (starting a business).
• Starting a new business is not only a financial risk, but also an emotional risk.

Connect with Stacey:

• Dr. Stacey’s Website - LH Adventure Travel
• Facebook - LH Adventure Travel
• Instagram - @lhadventuretravel

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Previous Episode - What’s Best Total Body or Split Routine in Menopause
• Next Episode - Solving Sleep Issues with CBD and Other Perimenopause Symptom Solutions
• More Like This - Traveling Alone After 50 Or With Friends? Safe vs Not Safe

Resources:

• Join Flipping 50 Women's Retreats each designed to challenge and stretch you.
• Looking for a perfect location for hikes and outdoor yoga? Join the Flipping 50 Women’s Retreat at Moab in October!
• Join Flipping 50 Menopause Fitness Specialist® to become a coach!
• Short & Easy Exercise videos in this 5 Day Flip Challenge.

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Which is the best workout routine for you right now – total body or split routine in menopause?

This episode unpacks a recent study by Brad Schoenfeld comparing results from total body or split routine in menopause.

The study did not actually address menopause. But if we know we are capable of making the same relative strength gains as males, then I’m considering this study as still relevant for us to consider in menopause.

How the study was done:

• Untrained males, no resistance training in the previous 6 months.
• Exercise consists of 16 sets per muscle group per week per both groups

Total Body Routine

• Trained each muscle group 4 per week (MTThF)
• 4 sets each:
  • bench press
  • cable triceps pushdown
  • shoulder press
  • seated row
  • biceps curl
  • squat
  • leg curl.

Split Routine

• Session A
  • Mondays & Thursdays
  • 8 sets each:
    • bench press
    • inclined bench press
    • cable triceps pushdown
    • triceps kickback
    • shoulder press
    • front dumbbell raise.
• Session B
  • Tuesdays & Fridays
  • 8 sets each:
    • seated row
    • lat pulldown
    • biceps curl
    • hammer curl
    • squat
    • Leg curl.

Study Conclusion

• Training Volume for Strength Strength gains derived from frequency manipulation are driven by the increase in training volume. When constant, increased frequency does not seem to provide additional benefits. However, most studies suggest a resistance training frequency of 3 or fewer days per muscle group per week. A schedule of 4 days per week provides no additional strength gains relative to 2 days per week. Ideal or excessive training volume can be unique to each individual.
• Time The biggest challenge for most humans is Time. Disrupted or irregular schedules (MTTHF) can happen.
• Rest & Recovery Ideally 1-2 minutes rest between sets. Recommended 48 hours minimum to recover between use of same muscle groups.

Muscle mass and hypertrophy could be built by either, but fat loss may benefit more from total body routine - based on greater muscle protein stimulus and EPOC.

A Quick Overview on Total Body or Split Routine in Menopause

Total Body Workouts

Pros:

• More flexible with schedule. Easier to fit in and stay consistent with—especially helpful if life gets unpredictable.
• Higher metabolic boost. One study showed 8x more metabolic benefit from total body training than split routines.
• Efficient muscle protein synthesis. Stimulates multiple muscle groups at once, increasing post-exercise recovery benefits.
• Better for fat loss. However, recently Brad Schoenfeld showed that as long as volume is equal they can provide the same results.

Cons:

• Challenging to manage volume. Hard to include enough exercises for each muscle group within one session.
• Fatigue if overdone. Doing total body workouts too frequently (e.g., 4x/week) without proper rest can backfire.
• Not always optimal for specialization. Doesn’t allow focused work on one muscle group (e.g., building glutes or shoulders).

Split Routine:

Pros:

• Allows for more focused volume per muscle group. Easier to do 2+ exercises per muscle group and more sets—important in post-menopause.
• Can be energizing per session. Training just the upper or lower body can feel lighter and more focused.
• Useful for variety and advanced training. Great for incorporating more complex splits and periodization.

Cons:

• Harder to stay consistent. If you miss a day, it’s harder to make up and can throw off the weekly balance.
• Time-dependent. Requires more days per week and more planning—can be a challenge for busy midlife women.
• May lack full recovery. Without intentional spacing (e.g., Monday/Thursday vs. back-to-back days), results can suffer.
• Not ideal if energy is low. During menopause, fatigue can make it harder to consistently do split routines.

Total Volume if equal can both produce results in Total Body or Split Routine in Menopause

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Previous Episode - Autoimmune Disease in Menopause and Changing Treatment Status Quo
• Next Episode - Women's Wellness Adventure Travel After 50
• More Like This - Cortisol and Exercise in Menopause

Resources:

• Get your lean, clean Flipping 50 Protein Powders to maintain muscle and support metabolism.
• Book a Discovery Call with Debra to talk about your own menopause or becoming a coach.

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Why is autoimmune disease in menopause becoming more prevalent? And why are college-age patients a growing autoimmune demographic?

In your 60s, when the world is thinking of retirement, would you ever consider being a founder of a new business instead of spending days on the golf course or traveling?

Answers to the increase in autoimmune disease in menopause and more in this special episode I think you may find both alarming and fascinating; both a shot of reality and hope.

My Guest:

Dr. Bonnie Feldman, 69, Co-founder and Chief Patient Officer of Rheumission, is an entrepreneur, health practitioner, researcher, financial analyst, digital health advisor and autoimmune patient and advocate.

Since 2010, Dr. Feldman integrates digital tech, virtual-first care, and lifestyle interventions with conventional care to improve outcomes for autoimmune patients. She spent the past decade raising awareness of the underserved and growing autoimmune market opportunity for private investment. Her experience as an autoimmune patient have fueled Bonnie’s passion for prevention, earlier diagnosis and improved care for all autoimmune patients.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• [00:04:50] Tell me about your own journey - why become a startup founder at an age (now 69) that most people are already in retirement?
• [00:09:16] What are autoimmune diseases?
• [00:13:18] What do people not understand about autoimmune disease?
• [00:18:21] Why do you say that autoimmune disease is a women's health crisis?
• [00:22:39] What is fundamentally wrong and needs to change in the way autoimmune patients are treated and diagnosed? What are doing to change this?
• [00:24:42] What is biologics? What are the negative side effects of biologics?
• [00:33:04] What is the legacy you hope to leave (for your 10 grandchildren)?

Know if You May Have Autoimmune Disease in Menopause

What is Autoimmune Disease?

• Old Definition
  • When the immune system attacks itself.
  • 100 different kinds e.g. multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, all sort of colitis and Crohn's
• New Definition
  • Now includes the inflammatory spectrum and autism spectrum

Autoimmune Disease Is a Women’s Health Crisis

• 80% of autoimmune patients are women, around 40 million people
• Hormones influence during puberty, pregnancy, menopause
• Late-onset autoimmune diagnoses are on the rise.
• The biggest growth is in young adult women who are college age.

Treatment for an Autoimmune Disease Patient

• Conventional Medicine
  • The patient sees different kinds of specialized doctors that do not necessarily talk to each other (e.g. dermatologists, rheumatologists, etc.)
• Rheumission
  • A Care Team is provided under one virtual roof with access to the patient digitally 24/7 if needed. This includes lifestyle medicine physician, an autoimmune psychologist, an autoimmune dietitian, an exercise program, and a care coordinator.
  • Uses lifestyle medicine as the first lever of defense like diet, sleep, psychological, etc. Medicines are used in the lowest dose when needed.

Connect with Dr. Bonnie:

• Dr. Sharon’s Website - Rheumission
• Facebook - rheumission
• Instagram - @rheumissionhlth
• YouTube - @rheumission

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Previous Episode - Supplements I Take in Menopause
• Next Episode - What’s Best Total Body or Split Routine in Menopause
• More Like This - How to Have and Still Thrive with Autoimmunity in Menopause

Resources:

• GYROTONIC®
• Feldenkrais
• Gait Therapy
• Pelvic Floor Therapy
• Short & Easy Exercise videos in this 5 Day Flip Challenge.
• Don’t know where to start? Book your Discovery Call with Debra.

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If you’ve wondered what supplements I take and why I take these supplements in menopause, this episode if you backstage pass inside my pantry!

I'm talking through everything I'm using for energy, muscle, metabolism, and aging optimally — and why.

This isn’t about hormone therapy; this is about all the “extras” that make a powerful difference in daily vitality, sleep, and workouts. Know the WHY I take these supplements in menopause.

Magnesium

• ~300 enzyme actions in body many of them related to metabolism
• Stress depletes magnesium
• Responsible for all the enzyme actions in your body
• Bone (requires it or will leach calcium from bone)
• Headaches / migraines
• Quality sleep
• Irregular bowel movement
• Unmotivated to move

Types: Citrate - irregular bowel movement Glycinate - muscle cramps, headaches (in the morning) L-Threonate - cognitive function

When: at night with dinner, split doses for Glycinate

Dosage: sprays and baths 200-400 mg, depends on condition and stress (exercise, emotional, etc)

Vitamin D3

• Directly related to muscle, particularly fast twitch muscle & metabolism Dosage: 60-80 IU, depends on test results

Omega 3 Fatty Acids

• Reduce inflammation
• Muscle (or reduced joint inflammation to eliminate obstacles for using muscle)
• Healthy joints Dosage: 1000 mg, combination of EPA and DHA 2-3 times per day if exercising or high stress

Vitamin B-12 (or B complex)

• Thyroid function
• Stress depletes B12

Essential Amino Acids

• Maintain lean muscle mass (low protein intake when travelling) Dosage: capsule When: at night

Creatine

• Muscle
• Brain
• Bone Dosage: 5 mg per day Types: Monohydrate - affordable and with more research Hydrochloride (HCL) - better absorption and faster recovery

Why I Take These (Additional) Supplements in Menopause

Digestive Enzymes

• 10-20% of the stomach acid at 70, we had at 20
• Lack the enzymes to breakdown food: we lack the nutritious food we think we’ve eaten
• You might be low on Digestive Enzymes if you experience:
  • Lack the enzymes to break down food.
  • Lack of nutritious food we think we’ve eaten.
  • Chronic stress (and standing, computer surfing, scrolling while eating)

Betaine HCL

• Higher stress levels = difficulty breaking down proteins into absorbable nutrients
• 10-20% less stomach acid at 70 than at 20
• You might be low on Betaine HCL if you experience heart burn, acid reflux, burping, and bloating.

Maca Root

• Energy and stamina without the crash
• Mental clarity and focus
• Hormonal balance
• Adrenal function for stress
• Perimenopause: improves fertility and menstrual regulation
• Menopause: reduce hot flashes and night sweats

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Previous Episode - Stress Isn’t All Bad? Use Stress to Thrive
• Next Episode - Autoimmune Disease in Menopause and Changing Treatment Status Quo
• More Like This - How Much Magnesium – The Missing Link to Total Health
• More Like This - Everything You Didn’t Know About Your Menopause Gut Health (and Need to)

Resources:

• Get your lean, clean Flipping 50 Protein Powders to maintain muscle and support metabolism.
• Biohack your health with Body Health’s Perfect Amino Powder.
• Step into your power with SHEatine™ Powder Creatine Trifecta for Powerful Aging.

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No, stress isn’t all bad.

“Stress” is generally seen as negative and harmful.

How can you use stress to thrive and live longer?

In this episode, learn how to create good stress for bursts of happiness and live longer. Our guest will tell us more on The Stress Paradox and share the 5 key good stressors to use stress to thrive.

Understand it here, stress isn’t all bad.

My Guest:

Dr. Sharon Horesh Bergquist, MD, is an award-winning physician, healthcare leader, and visionary researcher renowned for a science-based approach to applying lifestyle as medicine. She has helped lead clinical trials, including the Emory Healthy Aging Study and the NIH funded Emory Healthy Brain Study. Dr. Bergquist has contributed to over 200 news segments, including Good Morning America, CNN, ABC News, The Wall Street Journal, and NPR. She hosts The Whole Health Cure podcast and her popular Ted-Ed video on how stress affects the body has been viewed over six million times.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• [00:07:51] How can new science challenge the traditional understanding of stress as harmful?
• [00:11:04] Why is stress important for our health?
• [00:12:55] How do stressors work to prevent or manage such conditions like common chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes?
• [00:15:43] Many people may feel overwhelmed by chronic stress. How can they begin incorporating mild to moderate "good" stress into their lives without feeling more burdened?
• [00:22:34] What are the five key stressors?. How should someone choose the right type and dosage of these stressors for their individual needs?
• [00:33:47] In your book, The Stress Paradox, you describe how hormetic stress can lower a person’s biological age. How does good stress play a role in this?

The Surprising Science Behind Why Stress Isn’t All Bad

The Stress Paradox was released March 25 2025. Find it anywhere books are sold.

Your Body With Stress

• Our bodies are designed for brief intermittent stressors, followed by recovery.
• It's in recovery that we're reconfiguring our mind and body to handle future stress and better.

What is “Good Stress”?

• Goldilocks Zone: Mild to moderate everyday stressors. You’re just a little bit outside your comfort zone but not overwhelmed.
• Over time, you are building adaptations that are making you more resilient.
• You learn how to recover from repeat stressors, and can increase your human potential 60% to 90%.

Function of Cellular Stress Responses (The Four R’s)

1. Resist oxidative and inflammatory damage
2. Recycle damaged components through autophagy
3. Recharge mitochondria
4. Repair protein and DNA

The Five Key Stressors

1. Plant toxins
2. Exercise
3. Heat and cold exposure
4. Circadian fasting
5. Psychological challenges

Connect with Dr. Sharon:

• Dr Sharon’s Website
• Facebook - The Good Stress Doctor
• Instagram - @thegoodstressdoctor
• X - @TheGoodStressDr
• TikTok - @thegoodstressdoctor

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Previous Episode - Save Your Knees and Shoulders Without Surgery
• Next Episode - Supplements I Take in Menopause
• More Like This - How to Use Stress as a Tool for Hormone Balance

Resources:

• Join the Hot, Not Bothered! Challenge to learn why timing matters and why what works for others is not working for you.
• Short & Easy Exercise videos in this 5 Day Flip Challenge.
• Don’t know where to start? Book your Discovery Call with Debra.

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Save your knees and shoulders from the little discomfort doing usual activities or some swelling and inflammation.

If you aren’t sure whether you need physical therapy, you should get a referral, just need a massage or to lay off for a few days, this is your episode.

I’m no stranger to physical therapy, but I am a foreigner in seeking support for any issues I’ve got. Mine have all come from some acute trauma or injury. I knew it and the answer was obvious, maybe for you too — to save your knees and shoulders without surgery!

My Guest:

Dr. David Middaugh is a specialist physical therapist who helps people avoid unnecessary surgery while getting back to being healthy, active, and mobile. He coaches people online and has a clinic where people are treated in person. His contrarian treatment approaches are focused on addressing the root cause of problems like arthritis and tendon tears so that people have the most control over their health.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• [00:10:58] What makes you different from other physical therapists?
• [00:14:12] Is it actually possible to heal osteoarthritis without surgery?
• [00:20:28] What is unique about how you help people with knee pain?
• [00:37:30] What about people with shoulder pain?

What is Manual Physical Therapy?

• Hands-on body work to manipulate the soft tissues like your muscles, tendons, ligaments tend to be pretty good at moving the joints.
• Fixing the root problem of knee and shoulder pain issues through movement.
• Focused on fascia techniques and fascia related treatments.

What Really Works to Save Your Knees and Shoulders?

Knees

• What to work on? Glutes.
  • If you have weakness in the glutes, that’s when the quads get over dominant.
• The Science:
  • Quads have been overused causing knee arthritis or meniscus tear.
• What to do?
  • Do your exercises primarily with your glutes. Your hamstrings and quads will still work – they just need to work secondary.
  • Can you figure out how to make your glutes contract apart from your thigh muscles? It's more gaining mental control over your muscles.
  • Stop walking. Turn on your glutes first.

Shoulders

• What to work on? Upper traps (trapezius).
  • If you have weak traps, there is more stress and tension holding the weight of the arm, shoulders and maybe chest..
• The Science:
  • Rotator Cuff tears are one of the biggest problems because of weak upper traps.
• What to do?
  • Shrug every time you reach up to use your traps. This preserves your ball and socket joint. If you don’t shrug, the socket faces outwards and compresses tissues.

Connect with Dr. David:

• Get the Manual Therapy for a 50% discount for a one-time purchase OR the first payment on membership Link: http://flippingfifty.com/manualtherapy Code: FLIPPING50
• Instagram - @elpasomanualpt YouTube - @epmanualphysicaltherapy

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Previous Episode - Clean Eating, Fasting and Eating Disorders in Menopause
• Next Episode - Stress Isn’t All Bad? Use Stress to Thrive
• More Like This - Overdoing Exercise in Menopause: The Struggle to Scale Back

Resources:

• Join the Hot, Not Bothered! Challenge to learn why timing matters and why what works for others is not working for you.
• Short & Easy Exercise videos in this 5 Day Flip Challenge.
• Don’t know where to start? Book your Discovery Call with Debra.

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This episode may be for you even if you never identified with eating disorders in menopause or at any age.

Eat clean? Read labels twice? Following “rules” about food yet find it backfiring on you?

One could shift from wanting to “eat clean” to turning into orthorexia, influenced by social media, intermittent fasting and use of Smart Scales.

Do you think you have an eating disorder in menopause, or maybe a loved one? Tune in to this episode!

My Guest:

Amy Goldsmith, RDN, LDN, is the founder of Kindred Nutrition & Kinetics, a private practice that provides evidence-based medical nutrition therapy in Sports Nutrition and Eating Disorders/Disordered Eating. With over 25 years of experience in Sports Nutrition and Eating Disorder expertise, Amy is an expert in understanding the human body's biochemistry and works collaboratively with each client's performance and clinical care team to help them reach their health and wellness goals.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• [00:13:50] What is orthorexia?
• [00:07:26] Menopause brings hormonal swings, how often do you see menopausal patients experience an eating disorder for the first time? Or is it mostly women who have a history of disordered eating?
• [00:09:25] Does the overload of “wellness experts” in social media create confusion and fear of foods we need, particularly for women in midlife? How do you help them find the real truth about what to eat?
• [00:35:53] How easy is it to slip from “I just want to eat healthy” into orthorexia? What are the red flags when healthy eating turns into an unhealthy obsession?
• [00:19:07] Where do you begin working with someone who is ready so that it is non-threatening and non-judgmental?

From Wellness to Obsession: Are You Facing Eating Disorders in Menopause?

What is Orthorexia?

• Obsession with “clean” or restricted eating.
• Can also be the illusion of control and safety from disordered eating behaviors.
• Red flags: compulsive food thoughts, social withdrawal, avoidance.
• Average recovery time: 7 years but change begins with addressing small, meaningful issues.

Things to look out for:

• Social Media
  • Fuels body comparison, diet fads, and misinformed health behaviors.
• Intermittent Fasting
  • Dangers of fasting: sarcopenia or muscle loss, disordered behavior.
  • May be harmful, especially in active midlife women prioritizing muscle preservation.
• Smart Scale and Body Composition
  • Fixation on scale weight despite fitness improvements like muscle gain and inch loss.
  • Pro: tracking lean mass.
  • Con: can trigger obsession or shame.

Key Takeaways

• Eating issues in midlife are common – due to stress, hormones, and unresolved issues from earlier life.
• Orthorexia is an obsessive focus on healthy or clean eating that can be dangerous and restrictive.
• Early intervention is key – it only takes two weeks of obsession to begin disordered patterns.
• Not all RDs are the same – find one trained in eating disorders for effective help.

Connect with Amy:

• Amy’s Website - Kindred Nutrition
• Facebook - Kindred Nutrition
• Instagram - @amygoldsmithrd

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Previous Episode - Cortisol and Exercise in Menopause
• Next Episode - Save Your Knees and Shoulders Without Surgery
• More Like This - How Emotional Eating Can Be the Hidden Reason for Weight Gain

Resources:

• Join Flipping 50 Menopause Fitness Specialist® to become a coach!
• Join the Flipping50 Insiders Facebook Group and connect with Debra and the community.
• Flip the switch on your midlife metabolism with the Metabolism Makeover 2.0.

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I’m going to review the cortisol and exercise connection or confusion… and offer some solutions.

Feeling exhausted, frustrated and fat? Got stubborn belly fat you want to lose? You’re exercising but tired all the time? Sleep or don’t, and you’re still never rested? Sound familiar or been there?

This episode is PACKED with solutions on cortisol and exercise in menopause. Don’t miss it.

What is Cortisol?

• Your body's primary stress hormone, but it’s also your energy hormone.
• Regulates metabolism, immune response, and stress.
• Mental and emotional response to stress.

For women in midlife, perimenopause or postmenopause, how cortisol behaves is everything.

Cortisol Follows Your Circadian Rhythm

• Morning: Cortisol spikes – helps you get up, feel alert, burn fat, and stabilize blood sugar.
• Evening: Cortisol drops – when melatonin (your sleep hormone) takes over.
• Disruptions to Circadian Rhythm – chronic stress, fatigue, overexercising, late-night screen time keep cortisol elevated when it should be dropping.

HPA Axis Dysfunction (hypothalamus, pituitary, adrenal)

• Your body's stress thermostat — when it’s overworked, it breaks.
• Constant demand leads to adrenal insufficiency.
• HPA Axis dial things down to protect you and that’s when you hit a wall:
  • You’re tired but wired.
  • You can’t sleep or sleep all day.
  • Your blood sugar is out of whack — hello cravings and midsection weight gain.
  • Workouts leave you exhausted instead of energized.

Work Out Doesn’t Work Anymore?

• Cortisol Chaos
  • When your old workouts become stressors instead of solutions.
  • Workouts add fuel to the fire.
• Solution: Cortisol-Conscious Movement
  • The right exercise, at the right time, for the right reason.

The Cortisol–Thyroid–Adrenal Triangle

• Cortisol: Regulates blood sugar and inflammation.
• Thyroid: Controls metabolism — but sensitive to cortisol imbalances.
• Adrenals: Produces cortisol — but burns out if they’re overstimulated.

If cortisol stays high, the thyroid slows metabolism. That’s when fat loss becomes frustrating, no matter how you eat or train.

The Influence of Cortisol and Exercise in Menopause

Cortisol During Perimenopause and Postmenopause * Hormonal Fluctuations + Decline in estrogen and progesterone affects cortisol regulation. + Increased sensitivity to stress and potential for cortisol imbalance. * Symptoms of Elevated Cortisol + Weight gain, especially around the abdomen. + Sleep disturbances and fatigue. + Mood swings and anxiety

Symptoms of Low Cortisol

• Fatigue - in spite of rest
• Low Blood Pressure, weakness
• Loss of Appetite

Know When You Are On An Allostatic Load

• When you reach a tipping point, overloaded by chronic stress.
• Different kinds of stressors:
  • Emotional
  • Relationship
  • Financial
  • Work
  • Home
  • Hormonal Change
  • Physical (diet & sleep)
  • Exercise

The Good News: Cortisol Isn’t Your Enemy

• Cortisol isn’t bad. It’s misunderstood. When it works with you, it helps you burn fat, stay focused, and bounce back fast.
• The key is restoring rhythm — using smart, intentional exercise and lifestyle upgrades that rebalance your body’s natural stress-response system.

Exercise and Cortisol * Impact of Exercise on Cortisol Levels + High-intensity workouts can spike cortisol levels. (it's natural!!) + Chronic overtraining may lead to sustained high cortisol and adrenal fatigue . * Timing Matters + Morning workouts align with natural cortisol peaks. + Evening high-intensity workouts may disrupt sleep and cortisol rhythm .

Managing Cortisol Levels * Lifestyle Strategies + Prioritize sleep and stress management techniques. + Incorporate relaxation practices like yoga and meditation, box breathing. * Nutrition Tips + Maintain stable blood sugar with balanced meals. + Limit caffeine and alcohol intake + Avoid strict keto or carnivore and include resistant starches * Exercise Recommendations + Focus on low-to-moderate intensity and short duration workouts. + Include restorative activities and avoid overtraining. * Supplement Recommendations + B vitamins and magnesium are depleted by stress. + Maca (Find Femminescense here) is an adaptogen. + Ashwagandha can also be helpful for some. + Cortisol Manager (available online) contains some of the above.

Solutions To Your Questions on Cortisol and Exercise in Menopause

Q: Can I recover from adrenal issues on my own? A: Yes, but only if you actually slow down and stop pushing through it.

• Most women make the mistake of thinking rest is weakness. It’s not. Recovery starts when you listen to your body’s signals instead of ignoring them.
• Dial down high-intensity workouts (for now), focus on sleep, manage blood sugar, and pull in the right kind of movement — walking, yoga, strength training with intention.
• Identifying how deep your HPA Axis dysfunction goes.

Recovery is possible — but not if you keep acting like nothing’s wrong.

Q: How long will it take to recover? A: That depends on how long you’ve been burned out… and whether you actually change your behavior.

• Mild adrenal fatigue: 4–6 weeks of rest + smart training + nutrition can turn things around.
• Moderate dysfunction: 3–6 months to really feel like yourself again.
• Severe HPA Axis dysfunction or adrenal insufficiency: 6–12 months of consistent changes, possibly with functional support.

Reminder: The sooner you start, the faster you bounce back.

Q: Will I lose this weight once I fix my cortisol issues? A: Most likely — yes.

• If cortisol is the reason for your stubborn midsection fat, fixing it is a prerequisite to fat loss.
• Cortisol dysregulation = insulin resistance, blood sugar swings, cravings, and metabolism slowdown.
• When cortisol normalizes, your thyroid, adrenals, and metabolism start cooperating again.

But here's the kicker: you can’t “outwork” cortisol. You have to work with it.

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Previous Episode - How to Bounce Back Boldly After You Blew Your Diet
• Next Episode - Clean Eating, Fasting and Eating Disorders in Menopause
• More Like This - Exercise and Hot Flashes and Other Menopause Symptoms

Resources:

• Book a Discovery Call with Debra to talk about your own menopause or becoming a coach.
• Join the Flipping50 Insiders Facebook Group and connect with Debra and the community.
• Understand how sleep relates to your hormones, muscle mass and weight loss with Flipping 50 Sleep Yourself Strong.

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How would you like a midlife women’s makeover?

What do you need to look good in order to feel good?

Discover how a midlife women’s makeover can boost your confidence — from the outside when you actually put on makeup.

My Guest:

With over 30 years in the beauty industry, Jennifer Kyser is passionate about helping women--especially in midlife, look and feel radiant. Known for her work in TV, print, fashion, and an occasional movie, she blends expert techniques with heart, empowering women to embrace their beauty, reclaim their power, and shine from the inside out.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

1. [00:01:04] What inspired you to a successful career in beauty for over 30 years?
2. [00:08:53] What are some of the most common struggles you see women facing in midlife?
3. [00:05:42] How has your background in beauty shaped your approach to helping women feel confident from the inside out?
4. [00:20:56] The title of your summit is “Radiating Confidence. Reclaiming Your Power.” What does it mean? What experience are you hoping attendees walk away with after participating?
5. [00:25:17] What inspired you to create a virtual summit specifically for midlife women now?

Make-Up’s Fashion to Function

• Make-up not only makes one beautiful, but also adds confidence, empowerment, and comfort.
• Confidence is the real glow-up. The goal is to feel radiant and empowered, not to look like someone else.
• With women over 50, less is more. Makeup for mature skin is about illumination, not coverage.

Connect with Jennifer:

• The Midlife Women's Makeover Summit - Radiate Confidence, Reclaim Your Power, Feel Amazing with Jennifer KyserJoin the summit on the 27th of May 2025!
• Facebook - Jennifer Kyser
• Instagram - @JenniferKyserMakeupArtist

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Previous Episode - How to Bounce Back Boldly After You Blew Your Diet
• Next Episode - Cortisol and Exercise in Menopause
• More Like This - True Core Confidence: Revolutionizing Pelvic Floor Fitness After 40

Resources:

• Join Flipping 50 Menopause Fitness Specialist® to become a coach!
• Join the Flipping50 Insiders Facebook Group and connect with Debra and the community.

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Where’s the next step after you blew your diet? If you've done that before you know, it’s a hard spot.

Are you feeling frustrated after blowing your diet again? It's time to Bounce Back Boldly and stop the shame spiral!

In this episode, we’ll uncover the science behind why we overeat and how you can regain control. Know the powerful strategies to turn things around. Let’s dive into how you can bounce back with confidence and ease—because it's never too late to Bounce Back Boldly!

My Guest:

Connie Bennett is a former sugar and carbs-addicted journalist and author of the bestselling books, Sugar Shock! and Beyond Sugar Shock.

Her new book, I Blew My Diet! Now What?, was inspired when Connie frenetically overloaded on carb garbage (carbage).

After hitting rock bottom and packed on 21 pounds, Connie put on her journalist hat and dove into the research to discover why people eat badly and what fast, easy, science-based tactics they can use to Bounce Back Boldly™ as she puts it.

Connie is a certified health coach, life coach, and tapping practitioner, and founder of the Bounce Back Bootcamp.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• [00:04:58] How did you get into helping people who overeat or ate badly?
• [00:11:43] What are the Big Four Binge Triggers?
• [00:16:50] What are three other reasons people overload on junk foods?
• [00:22:01] What surprised you the most while you were researching and writing the book, I Blew My Diet! Now What?
• [00:30:55] What is the What-the-Hell Attitude?
• [00:34:08] What is GoalPowerPlus?
• [00:27:03] What is the Hum-Hug-Rock Relief Process?

After you blew your diet, there is a next step. And another and another.

What Should You Do After You Blew Your Diet

The Big 4 Binger Triggers:

1. Heartbreak Bingeing – After losing a loved one.
2. Relationship-based Bingeing – Includes divorce, bickering, or even contentment bingeing.
3. Trauma-driven Bingeing – From past or recent trauma.
4. Caregiving Bingeing – Resulting from caregiver stress.

Know all 21 reasons why people blow their diets in Connie’s I Blew My Diet Book.

What is the “What the Hell” Attitude?When you’re at that moment of temptation to binge eating.

Techniques to Stop Binge Eating:

1. EFT Tapping or Emotional Freedom Technique TappingGoing into the acupuncture points acknowledging the craving and going back to “I totally love, accept and approve myself.”

2. Hug-Hum-Rock Relief TechniqueA technique designed to soothe and reduce urges in triggering moments, using hugging, humming and rocking.

Goal Power Plus vs. Will Power

• If you run out of will power, find the moral strength and the desire to shift focus to your goals.
• Get in touch and tune in to your goals that will bring you through and get strength.
• Goals like feeling better, more energy, and joy become motivators.

Connect with Connie:

• Connie’s I Blew My Diet BookLink: flippingfifty.com/blewmydietgifts
• Instagram - @conniebennettauthor
• X - @smarthabitsgirl

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Previous Episode - Exercise and Hot Flashes and Other Menopause Symptoms
• Next Episode - Solving Sleep Issues with CBD and Other Perimenopause Symptom Solutions
• More Like This - Detoxifying Your Body from the Damage of Diets in Menopause

Resources:

• Don’t know where to start? Book your Discovery Call with Debra.
• Join the Flipping50 Insiders Facebook Group and connect with Debra and the community.
• Short & Easy Exercise videos in this 5 Day Flip Challenge.

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Even if you don’t have hot flashes, stay with me on this because this episode is on exercise and hot flashes. We’re going to dissect the science and eradicate “science says” as a cry for validity by influencers.

Hot flashes are one of the most common symptoms of menopause. I’ll talk about the relationship between exercise and hot flashes along with other menopause symptoms like muscle loss or fat increase.

In previous podcast episodes and books, I’ve shared researcher comments about whether exercise could mitigate menopause symptoms. The answer, “Yes, provided it’s intense enough.”

The Science

A 2024 study on 72 pre, peri and postmenopausal women, published in the Menopause Journal of The Menopause Society, looked at the impact of minutes spent in 3 exercise intensities and body composition on total menopause symptoms (TMS).

• More symptoms were associated with higher body fat. Intense physical exercise improves % body composition and may reduce TMS, beneficial for perimenopausal women.
• An article published by the American College of Sports Medicine, looked at protein turnover changes, muscle size, quality and strength during menopause. All seemed to decline.

What we don’t know [Dr Stuart Phillips’ response to Mary Claire Haver’s Instagram post regarding estrogen’s impact on muscle] is the cause for these changes.

Is there evidence for causation between decline of estrogen and decrease in muscle mass, which some women experience:

• Insomnia
• Poor mood, depression or anxiety
• Lack of motivation (serotonin receptors)
• A time crunch in midlife
• Comfort or emotional eating

Repeatedly, women will say, “I haven’t changed a thing, but my results have changed.” That would be true if you didn't change what it was you were doing. If your hormones have changed, we have to change the exercise.

Another 2024 study in Menopause Journal showed both moderate intensity and resistance training exercise will decrease hot flash occurrence in some women, especially in women with depression.

• High Intensity - more impact on body composition and positive impact on hot flashes
• Moderate Intensity - decreased hot flash occurrence

Exercise and Hot Flashes, Estrogen and Muscle

Whether we’re talking about exercise and hot flashes or estrogen and muscle loss, so many variables could be at play, even if the science is a randomized double-blind study with a large enough subject pool.

• If hormones have changed, we have to change the exercise (including nutrition and sleep habits) or it’s not going to work.
• If medications become important, then we have to look at micronutrients because they’re depleted by each prescription or OTC med. If you don’t absorb micronutrients you don’t have optimal muscle or strength building blocks.

Social Media

• The type of studies that influencers share matters. Whether they’ve shared a review of literature, a double-blind randomized control study, or a narrative or know what that means
• What is the interpretation that helps you make decisions on changes you may want to consider or that reinforces what you are doing?
• The only real thing an influencer is sharing unless they share the science with you is, “what works for me” and you’re left to guess… is that really what happens behind the scenes?

But before I share that, I think we know this:

Both are on a worthy mission…

• To improve the knowledge we have about muscle, bone and aging and the impact on them of daily and weekly habits
• To acknowledge menopause has historically impacted women’s health.

What can you do with the information?

• Make the best choices on exercise prescription, dietary choices, lifestyle habits to offset what is impacted by hormonal changes
• Make the best choices with their time and energy for women with hormonal changes to get the optimal health habits.
• Provide clarity about the exercise prescription that is most advantageous and then customize it for women based on their fitness status, health history, and stage of menopause
• Train an army of Menopause Fitness Specialist® in every fitness club, health center, university and behind every online program.

Become a Coach on Exercise and Hot Flashes for Women in Midlife

If you are interested in becoming a Flipping 50 Menopause Fitness Specialist® and tired of guessing for yourself, your clients and watching a lot of bro science applied to women without ever considering…

• We’ve never asked questions about pelvic floor health in intake forms in the fitness industry.
• We’ve never considered from ovulation to luteal phase, a change in nutrition and exercise might serve a woman in reducing injury and getting better results.
• We’ve never suggested a woman test her muscle mass at 25 and bone at 30 when she’s peaking to compare later.

Do you want to know how to create a comprehensive exercise prescription that supports, not worsens:

• Insomnia
• Pre-diabetes and insulin resistance
• Low libido
• Low bone mass
• Body and (specifically) belly fat
• Exercise
• Hot flashes/night sweats

More than 7 other key changes in exercise prescription that help a woman arrive at menopause, thrive through menopause, and enhance her longevity – reach out to me right now. We’re opening the enrollment for the Flipping50 Menopause Specialist®.

This is an amazing opportunity to join the program. Not only get the knowledge you need, but the business growth coaching so you aren’t a wise broke trainer or coach like so many of your peers.

The number of trainers increased from 250,000 to 750,000 in the last decade. The number of health coaches has grown from zero to thousands in a few short years.

Yet, few of those are making a profit, let alone a living.

They’re building websites, apps, social media… they are failing. But you don’t have to.

If you start from the beginning, skip the guessing with the copycat Chatgpt copy. You don’t have to have a MBA in marketing or sales but you need to have a formula and blueprint to follow to build a business that starts successfully and is sustainable.

References on Exercise and Hot Flashes:

• Moore SR, Cabre HE, Smith-Ryan AE. Body composition, physical activity, and menopause symptoms: how do they relate? Menopause. 2024 Apr 1;31(4):336-341. doi: 10.1097/GME.0000000000002334. Epub 2024 Mar 5. PMID: 38442308.
• Witkowski S, Evard R, Rickson JJ, White Q, Sievert LL. Physical activity and exercise for hot flashes: trigger or treatment? Menopause. 2023 Feb 1;30(2):218-224. doi: 10.1097/GME.0000000000002107. Epub 2022 Nov 7. PMID: 36696647; PMCID: PMC9886316.

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Previous Episode - How and Why to Consider Meditation in Menopause
• Next Episode - How to Bounce Back Boldly After You Blew Your Diet
• More Like This - Caffeine, Hot Flashes, and Fat Burning During Menopause

Resources:

• Join Flipping 50 Menopause Fitness Specialist® to become a coach!
• Book a Discovery Call with Debra to talk about your own menopause or becoming a coach.

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Hearing about meditation every direction you turn? Meditation in menopause can be a simple, free, and almost effortless tool for supporting your nervous system.

If your rest and digest part of life needs to flex and be able to squelch your fight or flight, aka your watch says RELAX REMINDER more than you’d like… this is your episode.

My Guest:

Kelly Smith is a global yoga and meditation teacher, author, E-RYT 500/ YACEP, founder of Yoga For You and the host of the iTunes chart topping podcasts Mindful in Minutes and Meditation Mama. Kelly believes that there is not a one-size-fits-all approach to yoga and meditation and encourages her students to find their own personal practice, listen to their bodies, and find inner joy by accessing their most authentic selves. Kelly is best known for her guided meditation, yoga nidra, and restorative yoga practices that she has been sharing since 2016 on her podcasts and books.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• [00:15:49] How can meditation help support menopause and perimenopause?
• [00:14:46] Why should you start meditating at this age if you haven't before?
• [00:18:36] How can meditation help support your nervous system?

What is Meditation?

• Meditation is strength and resistance training for the brain.
• Not a religious practice, but it’s up to you what your intention is and if you want to align it to what you believe in.

Benefits of Meditation

• Reducing anxiety and depression
• Helps with sleep and brain fog
• Helps balance cortisol
• Helps aging of the brain
• Boosts focus and concentration
• Teaches you how to sit with what is happening in your life

Eight minutes a day is enough to get the physical, mental, emotional benefits of meditation.

Know Yourself and What You’re Yearning for Through Meditation in Menopause

Connect with Kelly:

• Kelly’s website - Yoga For You
• Instagram - @yogaforyouonline

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Previous Episode - Protein for Menopause Hormone Support
• Next Episode - Exercise and Hot Flashes and Other Menopause Symptoms
• More Like This - Why I Meditate and My Recent (2nd) Weeklong Meditation Experience
• More Like This - Strategies for Higher Revenue as a Fitness Professional

Resources:

• Flip the switch on your midlife metabolism with the Metabolism Makeover 2.0.
• Short & Easy Exercise videos in this 5 Day Flip Challenge.

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Let’s unpack something most midlife women are totally missing – protein for Menopause Hormone Support.

Are you feeling moody, low-energy, or constantly craving carbs in midlife? It might not just be your hormones—it could be your protein intake… and its effect on your hormones.

In today’s episode, know how protein connects hormones and why your daily meals might be the hormonal tune-up you didn’t know you needed.

Cortisol & Protein: The Stress-Balance Dance

• Cortisol levels increase in response to low blood sugar or stress, which are common when meals are high-carb and low-protein.
• A high-protein diet blunts cortisol spikes post-meal and improves the body’s stress response.

Insulin: Protein’s Role in Glucose Control

• Protein stimulates insulin—but in a modulated way that helps with blood sugar stability, not spikes.
• In midlife and beyond, protein helps preserve insulin sensitivity, especially when combined with resistance training.

Ghrelin & Leptin: Protein vs. Cravings

• Ghrelin = your hunger hormone. Protein is the most effective macronutrient at suppressing ghrelin.
• Leptin = satiety hormone. Protein helps regulate leptin sensitivity over time.
• The Protein theory goes that if the body doesn’t get enough protein it will message you it wants more. The problem is the message is not clear. It’s just a hunger signal. You’re left to figure it out or deal with the tempting cookies, cakes, and chocolate hidden in the icebox.

Estrogen: From Muscle Protector to MIA

• Estrogen is an anabolic hormone—it supports muscle maintenance, insulin sensitivity, and metabolic efficiency.
• As estrogen declines in perimenopause and menopause, its natural support of muscle protein synthesis (MPS) disappears.

• With estrogen no longer stimulating MPS, women must now rely on two primary tools to stimulate it:

• 1. Resistance training
  2. Adequate high-quality protein (especially leucine-rich)

“Estrogen enhances the anabolic response of skeletal muscle to both feeding and resistance exercise, and its loss results in anabolic resistance.”

More Truths About Protein for Menopause Hormone Support

• Muscle Protein Synthesis declines with age—and even more so without estrogen. This is why RDA-level protein (0.8g/kg) is not sufficient in midlife - a statement agreed on by Registered Dietitians, longevity and geriatric experts alike.
• Experts (ISSN) recommend ≥1.6–2.2g/kg of body weight for active women in midlife to maintain muscle, metabolism, and hormonal resilience.

The Anabolic vs. Catabolic Hormone Framework

Anabolic Hormones = Build & Repair These are hormones that stimulate tissue growth and regeneration:

• Testosterone – promotes muscle growth, strength, libido
• Growth Hormone (GH) – supports repair, recovery, and fat metabolism
• Estrogen – helps preserve lean mass, regulates insulin sensitivity
• Insulin – can be anabolic by shuttling nutrients into cells, especially post-exercise

Protein intake supports all of these by providing the amino acid building blocks needed for anabolic activity.

Catabolic Hormones = Break DownThese are hormones that promote the breakdown of muscle, tissue, and energy stores:

• Cortisol – breaks down muscle for glucose during stress
• Epinephrine/Norepinephrine – mobilize energy in fight-or-flight

Chronically elevated catabolic hormones + low protein = muscle loss, cravings, fatigue.

Fat Storage

• Insulin isn’t actually a catabolic hormone but it does increase fat storage. You can’t be burning fat if insulin is high, as is true for many women. Focusing on boosting the anabolic hormones is the game-changer.

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Previous Episode - Can We Just Stop the Self Sabotage to Feel Your Best Ever
• Next Episode - How and Why to Consider Meditation in Menopause
• More Like This - Where Protein Recommendations for Women Come From?

Resources:

• This episode is brought to you by Flipping 50 Longevity Pro Protein & Fiber, the simplest ingredient, cleanest, third-party-tested protein powder formulated specifically for midlife metabolism. No bloat, no fillers, just functional fuel. Use code PODCAST10 for 10% off at checkout.

References:

• Lemmens SG, Born JM, Martens EA, Martens MJ, Westerterp-Plantenga MS. PLoS One. 2011 Feb 3;6(2):e16826. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0016826. PMID: 21304815; PMCID: PMC3033415.
• Layman et al., 2008 reported that diets with higher protein and lower carbs improved insulin sensitivity in adults. DOI: 10.1093/jn/138.3.514
• Leidy HJ, Ortinau LC, Douglas SM, Hoertel HA. Am J Clin Nutr. 2013 Apr;97(4):677-88. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.112.053116. Epub 2013 Feb 27. PMID: 23446906; PMCID: PMC3718776.
• Tang JE, Moore DR, Kujbida GW, Tarnopolsky MA, Phillips SM. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2009 Sep;107(3):987-92. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00076.2009. Epub 2009 Jul 9. PMID: 19589961.

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If you want to lose weight, get in shape, or keep a relationship, you may know the desire to stop the self sabotage all too well.

My guest and I talk about her weight loss, coming down from 200 lbs. Not achieving a skinny size 4, but an all important and often missing love for the body and the curves she has.

If you don’t need to lose weight but aren’t where you want to be in relationships, business or finance, stay tuned to know how to stop the self sabotage.

My Guest:

Junie Moon, CEO of Midlife Love Out Loud, a Global Love Mentor, Best-selling Author, Women's Empowerment Leader, and Certified Shadow Work® Coach, has supported thousands of women over the past 30 years to claim their birthright: the freedom to be and love themselves without apology.

Junie is dedicated to guiding women in midlife on a transformative journey towards self-discovery and empowerment. Through heart-centered coaching, she helps her clients cultivate a deep sense of self-love and confidence.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• [00:03:39] [00:07:05] Tell us your story… Is it true you were 200 pounds and cracked the code for successful weight loss and vibrant living?
• [00:14:16] Many women sabotage themselves. Why?
• [00:27:46] How can we break these painful patterns?
• [00:08:34] You speak of the shadow and healing the shadow, what and why is it important to do shadow work?

The Real Root of Weight Struggles

• The cycle of dieting, deprivation, and rebound.
• Emotional eating in a dysfunctional marriage. You eat food to self-soothe. Shift from "food problem" to self-worth problem.

What is Shadow Work?

• Personal growth model with special processes that shines a light on the 95% of the unconscious mind that's running in the background.
• Learn your worthiness, lovability, voice, value, and what matters.

How to Really Stop the Self Sabotage and How to Shed It?

What is Self-Sabotage?

• It's the monster under the bed. It’s something we've picked up along the way that’s something's wrong with us.
• It’s self-protection. Fear of change and the illusion of safety in discomfort.
• Subconscious patterns and limiting beliefs from childhood.

Mind-Body Connection & Illness

• Healing the mind leads to healing the body.
• The power of releasing suppressed emotions.
• Small, safe steps — not dramatic overhauls — lead to lasting change.

Key Takeaways

• Weight struggles are often rooted in emotional and psychological wounds, not just food habits.
• Shadow work helps uncover hidden parts of ourselves shaped by shame and unworthiness.
• Self-sabotage often stems from fear and a subconscious desire for safety.
• Our "risk manager" brain will create illness, injury, or limiting beliefs to avoid perceived danger.
• Healing starts with awareness and self-compassion, not self-blame.
• True transformation is possible at any age and can lead to finding love, purpose, and peace.

Connect with Junie:

• Junie Moon’s Midlife Love Out Loud
• Facebook - Midlife Love Out Loud
• Facebook Group - Find Fabulous Love After 40
• Instagram - @MidlifeLoveOutLoud
• YouTube - @MidlifeLoveOutLoud
• Podcast - Midlife Love Out Loud

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Previous Episode - Is Your Liver Preventing Muscle Growth in Menopause?
• Next Episode -
• More Like This - Why You Sabotage Your Weight Loss (and How to Fix It)

Resources:

• Don’t know where to start? Book your Discovery Call with Debra.
• Join the Flipping50 Insiders Facebook Group and connect with Debra and the community.
• Understand how sleep relates to your hormones, muscle mass and weight loss with Flipping 50 Sleep Yourself Skinny.

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If you are considering BHRT, this is for you. Even if you’re currently on BHRT, you’ll learn or confirm something here.

If you’ve got daughters or DIL, in my case, there’s something here for you on that front too. If you’ve wondered why does cholesterol go up for so many women or why do autoimmune numbers increase in midlife? There’s a reason to be considering BHRT, and our guest explains why.

My Guest:

Dr. Shilpa Sayana, MD is a Triple Board Certified in Internal, Obesity Medicine and Functional Medicine. She is recognized by her peers by receiving the “Most Humanistic Intern and Resident” award in all three years of her Internal Medicine Residency and celebrated by her patients by being presented the Best Doctors Women’s Choice Award.

She treats women in perimenopause and menopause, optimising their hormones, energy and weight, especially if they have been previously told that their labs are normal.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• [00:07:54] What are natural ways to improve your hormones above 45?
• [00:14:27] What tests do you recommend to a woman considering hormones?
• [00:22:30] Do you have a unique opinion on starting both progesterone and estrogen at the same time or layer in one?
• [00:26:06] Do you advocate for women taking testosterone and what are the benefits and side effects of using TRT?
• [00:30:21] Why do autoimmune markers increase in perimenopause and menopause? and what to do about it?
• [00:32:04] What can help cholesterol and blood sugar levels?

#1 Longevity Hormone Panel

Purpose: To get a baseline of all key hormone levels

Includes:

• Morning cortisol (before 10am)
• DHEAS (hormone that makes cortisol)
• TSH (thyroid)
• Free T4
• Autoimmune Reverse
• T4 (Hashimoto’s)
• Reverse T3
• Estrogen, Progesteron, Testosterone
• Total Testosterone
• Free Testosterone
• Sex Binding Hormone Globulin
• ANA (antinuclear antibody or autoimmune antibody)
• ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate to check inflammation rate for autoimmune)
• CRP (C-reactive protein)
• Ferritin
• Genetics
• Vitamin B12
• Vitamin D

More Tests to Truly Know If You’re Ready Before Considering BHRT

#2 Gut Test

Purpose: To assess inflammation, microbiome health, and how well your body can process and eliminate hormones

#3 Toxin/Environmental Load Testing

Purpose: To detect environmental toxins that may be disrupting hormone production or metabolism

Track Your Hormones

Functional vs. Conventional medicine’s approach to lab results:

• Functional Medicine
  • Focuses on what’s optimal, not just normal.
  • Listens to the whole person (hormone networks), not just the labs.
• Conventional Medicine
  • Labs are often labeled "normal" if they fall within the wide reference range.
  • No action is taken unless results are severely out of range.

Connect with Shilpa:

• Website - Sayana Medical
• Instagram - @sayanamedical
• YouTube - @SayanaMedical

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Previous Episode - Smart Movement for Aging Better with Lara Heimann
• Next Episode - Can We Just Stop the Self Sabotage to Feel Your Best Ever
• More Like This - Restore Hormones to Factory Settings? More Science for bHRT
• More Like This - How to Have and Still Thrive with Autoimmunity in Menopause

Resources:

• Don’t know where to start? Book your Discovery Call with Debra.
• Join the Flipping50 Insiders Facebook Group and connect with Debra and the community.

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If there is a way to enhance movement for aging better - whether we’re already exercising or we’re in need of getting started - we’re in!

If you’ve ever said or felt, “every time I start to exercise I get hurt,” this is for you. This episode will also hit you right where you love to exercise.

We know exercise has a major impact on the brain. It’s a dose of clarity, problem solving, creativity. There’s no lack of science to prove the mind-body-and spirit can no longer be separated. They’re an integrated part of all components of wellness.

Feeling a little stiff? You may feel better by the end. Know the smart movement for aging better!

My Guest:

Lara Heimann is an internationally recognized yoga pioneer, Physical Therapist, and founder of the revolutionary LYT Method®—an evidence-based approach to movement that combines the principles of yoga, physical therapy, and functional movement. Lara’s passion lies in empowering people of all ages to move better, live pain-free, and optimize their physical and mental well-being. Her work has reached thousands of students and teachers across more than 50 countries, transforming lives with her innovative blend of movement science and spiritual connection. She holds a BA in Biological Anthropology and Anatomy and an MS in Physical Therapy from Duke University, along with a Neurodevelopmental Training Certification through Stanford University.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• [00:28:13] Why is moving well so important for aging?
• [00:30:28] What are common misconceptions people have about aging and exercise?
• [00:18:44] [00:31:10] What role does neuroplasticity play in aging?
• [00:21:28] How can people optimize longevity and vitality?

Neuroplasticity & Movement

• Neuroplasticity is your brain's ability to grow and change
• Movement “rewires” the brain - you grow your brain from movement.
• Use developmental movement patterns to re-educate the nervous system. Your brain craves novelty.

Your Guide to Movement for Aging Better

The Myth of ‘Aging = Body Decline’

• Move more with age, not less.
• Joint mobility and strength are important as we age.
• Incorporate movement into daily routines (e.g. cleaning your house, climbing stairs).
• If you look at people who live long and live well, the one common thing is they're active and stay active.
• If you're in the middle part of your life and you haven't been active, it's never too late.

Pain & Movement

• Inefficient movement creates and sustains pain.
• Move in a smarter way but don’t stop moving.

Key Takeaways

• Movement rewires the brain. It’s not just about fitness—movement helps with cognition, mood, and longevity.
• Neuroplasticity isn’t age-limited. You can retrain your brain and body at any age.
• Already active? You can get even better. Advanced movers have more potential for growth when incorporating neuro-focused training.
• Repetition isn’t always progress. Novelty challenges your brain and creates stronger, smarter movement patterns.
• Pain is information, not a stop sign. Pain (not injuries) often lingers due to patterns. New movement can break that cycle.
• Aging isn’t a reason to scale back, but a cue to level up.

Connect with Lara:

• Try LYT Yoga: A physical therapy yoga to promote functional movement Link: https://flippingfifty.com/lytyoga Code: Movebetter What’s in it for you? Try it out for $5 for 5 weeks
• Instagram - @lara.heimann and @lytmethod
• Facebook - Lara Heimann and The LYT Yoga Method

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Next Episode - Is Your Liver Preventing Muscle Growth in Menopause?
• More Like This – Yoga Booty, Yoga Belly, and Now Yoga Brain: Better with Yoga

Resources:

• Don’t know where to start? Book your Discovery Call with Debra
• Join the Flipping50 Insiders Facebook Group and connect with Debra and the community.
• Get the Flipping 50 STRONGER 12-week program for your at-home safe, sane, simple exercises.

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In this episode, we answer the questions you might have about common and lesser-known autoimmune diseases: whether you are more prone during menopause, how hormonal changes may impact autoimmunity, some of the easiest lifestyle changes you can implement starting today, and perhaps most importantly that you are not alone.

My guest today will share his unique experience with both arthritis and something I’ve dealt with in clients, spondyloarthritis. As a physician and a patient of arthritis, he has a very unique perspective on autoimmunity in menopause.

My Guest:

Dr. Micah Yu is an integrative rheumatologist who incorporates complementary medicine with traditional rheumatology. He is triple board-certified in Rheumatology, Internal Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine. He obtained his MD from Chicago Medical School and holds a Masters in Healthcare Administration and Biomedical sciences. He completed his internal medicine residency and rheumatology fellowship at Loma Linda University in Southern California. He is a graduate of the Andrew Weil Integrative Medicine Fellowship at the University of Arizona. In addition, he is certified in functional medicine through the Institute of Functional Medicine.

He is able to understand his patient’s medical problems from a patient perspective. The foundation of his practice is to combine allopathic medicine with complementary medicine. He works with his patients to come up with a treatment plan that not only fights the disease but also is aligned with his patient’s goals.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• [00:05:16] What is rheumatoid arthritis vs other types of arthritis?
• [00:16:00] How can people use integrative medicine to help with their autoimmunity?
• [00:18:21] Do people have to go on medications when they get diagnosed with a rheumatic disease?
• [00:26:01] Is there any connection whatsoever with post -exercise soreness and autoimmune response?
• [00:27:24] How will a plant-based diet sustain muscle?

Don’t Let Autoimmunity in Menopause Hold You Back

What are the different Arthritis Disease?

• Gout

  • NOT an autoimmune arthritis and NOT wear and tear.
  • It’s an arthritis that’s inflammatory that’s caused by uric acid deposition in the joints.
  • Usually comes out as a single joint (e.g. big toe, knee) and get repeated over time.

• Rheumatoid Arthritis

  • IS an autoimmune arthritis.
  • Can attack multiple joints (e.g. fingers, toes, shoulders, elbows, knee)
  • Usually come up with swelling, retinas, stiffness of the joints.
  • Predominant in females

• Spondyloarthritis

  • Overall arching term of different arthritis (e.g. psoriatic arthritis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis)
  • Usually comes out in fingers, TMJ (temporomandibular joints), elbows, shoulders, knees, feet, ankles.

What is the medication for autoimmune disease?

• Depends on the background, beliefs, and severity of the disease.
• Some may use medications, others may use alternative medicines, supplements and therapists.

What is a Whole Food Plant Based Diet (WFPB)?

• Helped Dr. Micah with pain remission after 2 months
• Whole foods include beans, organic tofu, edamame, fruits and vegetables.
• No highly processed vegan protein, soy protein.
• Soy is included in WFPB
  • Has phytonutrients
  • Decreases breast cancers
  • Use clean unprocessed soy (e.g. organic tofu, edamame)
  • Does not include processed vegan meat
  • Some people may be sensitive to soy.

What are Inflammatory Foods?

• Ultra-processed foods (e.g. fast food, chips, cookies, cakes, ham, pepperoni).
• Food with high salt. WHO says that diet must be up to two grams of salt.
• Seed oils can be inflammatory when used for cooking.

The 2 times in a woman life with more risk of getting autoimmune disease:

• After giving birth
• When they go into menopause

Connect with Dr. Micah for the Summit:

• Join Dr. Micah’s FREE summit on May 12–18, 2025: The Rheumatoid Arthritis and Autoimmunity Symposium
• Facebook - MYAutoimmuneMD
• Instagram - @MYAutoimmuneMD
• Youtube - @MYAutoimmuneMD

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Previous Episode - Is Your Liver Preventing Muscle Growth in Menopause?
• Next Episode - Smart Movement for Aging Better with Lara Heimann
• More Like This - Prevent or Reverse Autoimmune Conditions

Resources:

• Don’t know where to start? Book your Discovery Call with Debra.

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To support muscle growth in menopause, you need to understand the critical role of liver health.

If you’re struggling with muscle loss and fat gain, your liver is an essential player in the game.

Stick with me as we uncover actionable strategies for boosting liver health and achieving muscle growth in menopause and beyond during this moment in time post pandemic.

My Guest:

Sara Banta is a certified Dietary Supplement Professional, member of the National Association of Nutritional Professionals, and founder of Accelerated Health Products, recognized as the Most Innovative Supplement Company.

Sara pioneers innovative solutions to support holistic well-being. She empowers others to achieve optimal health through supplements, DNA-based nutrition, and lifestyle changes.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• [00:10:53] How is the liver related to muscle growth in menopause?
• [00:20:31] How can certain proteins help you reach fitness goals, while others may actually get in the way?
• [00:22:53] Why are essential amino acids crucial for supporting muscle building?
• [00:31:21] How can you take care of your liver to help with muscle gain and fat loss?
• [00:40:20] What are the side effects of GLP-1?
• [00:42:50] What are safe alternatives to ozempic?

Liver Health's Role in Menopausal Muscle Growth

• Roles: detox, bile production, hormone regulation, protein metabolism.
• Chemicals and toxins overload the liver, impairing fat and protein processing.

Protein Intake Challenges & Solutions

• Protein intake alone isn’t enough without liver support.
• Women need more protein with age, not less - 1g protein per pound of body weight.
• Wild animal protein, like bison and venison, are most nutrient dense.
• Warning against mold and hidden toxins in common protein powders.

Essential Amino Acid Supplements

• Key ingredients: HMB, Synactive, OKG, TMG - aimed at absorption and recovery
• Benefits: prevent muscle breakdown, enhance gut health, better protein absorption.

Key Takeaways for Muscle Growth in Menopause:

• Liver function is foundational for hormone balance, energy, and muscle development during and after menopause.
• Most women are under-consuming quality protein and not absorbing it effectively due to liver or gut issues.
• Supplements can be powerful, but they must be clean, effective, and well-formulated—many aren't.
• Shift your mindset: It's not about shrinking your body but about strengthening it with muscle.
• Bloat, brain fog, fatigue, and poor recovery may all link back to impaired liver detox and insufficient amino acids.
• Whole, wild animal proteins are superior due to nutrient density and bioavailability.

Connect with Sara:

• Get your Accelerated Health Products - Liver Care & Aminos here!
• Facebook - Accelerated Health Products
• Instagram - @acceleratedhealthproducts

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• To Detox and If So How to Detox: Midlife Woman to Midlife Woman
• Where Protein Recommendations for Women Come From?

Resources:

• Get your lean, clean Flipping 50 Protein Powders to maintain muscle and support metabolism.
• Short & Easy Exercise videos in this 5 Day Flip Challenge.
• Don’t know where to start? Book your Discovery Call with Debra.

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Do you have breast implants? Have you thought about getting them or do you know others with them?

The conversation about breast implants' impact on health is a real one for a lot of women.

We get into all the cases:

• You have implants and feel fine
• You have implants and are feeling symptoms you have just chalked up to menopause

Whether for yourself, or to share with a friend or daughter, this one doesn’t end with breast implants. It only starts there.

Stay all the way to the end for the no-cut facelift details!

My Guest:

Dr. Robert Whitfield, MD is AMERICA’S BREAST IMPLANT ILLNESS EXPERT™ with over 25 years of experience as a plastic surgeon and more than 16 years board-certified. He specializes in Breast Implant Illness (BII), explant surgery, and advanced cosmetic procedures like his signature “No-Cut” Facelift.

He is also the creator of SHARP (Strategic Holistic Accelerated Recovery Program)—a protocol designed to reduce inflammation and support both pre- and post-surgical healing.

Dr. Whitfield earned his medical degree from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, followed by surgical training and a plastic surgery residency at Indiana University Medical Center, and a microsurgery fellowship in Nevada. He later taught at the Medical College of Wisconsin before moving to Austin in 2012. He began private practice in 2017.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• [00:07:42] What is Breast Implant Illness (BII)?
• [00:08:01] What are the BII signs and symptoms?
• [00:08:43] Why does BII occur, and how common is it?
• [00:15:36] What to do if you suspect you have BII? What tests are available? Is there a holistic approach?
• [00:22:52] Is it covered by insurance?
• [00:22:36] How is BII treated?
• [00:30:11] What is the No-cut Facelift?

What is Breast Implant Illness (BII)?

Chronic inflammatory response to breast implants. Implants are foreign bodies which may cause ~29% chance of bacterial contamination, not mold.

What are the Symptoms?

• Brain fog
• Fatigue and loss of motivation
• Gastrointestinal issues (e.g. bloating)
• Joint pain
• Hormonal imbalance
• Thyroid dysfunction

What to Do If You Suspect BII?

• Educate yourself through long-form content and patient stories
• Consider testing for:
  • Detox capabilities
  • Hormonal panels
  • Gut health and infections
• Look into explant surgery with comprehensive detox and recovery (e.g. SHARP protocol)

The No-Cut Facelift

Designed to lift and rejuvenate without surgery or visible scars

The Procedure:

• Fiber optics for deep neck tightening
• FaceTite (radiofrequency tightening beneath the skin)
• Micro-coring: removes tiny pieces of skin to tighten surface without visible scars

Benefits:

• Natural results with minimal scarring
• Boosts collagen production
• Customizable depending on the patient’s skin, hormones, and detox status

Key Takeaways

• BII is real and often overlooked, frequently mistaken for menopause or autoimmune disorders.
• Chronic inflammation and bacterial contamination (not mold) are major culprits.
• A new biomarker test (oxylipin 10-HOME) could soon improve diagnosis.
• Personal genetics, lifestyle, and environmental exposure significantly influence risk.
• Explant surgery should be holistic, addressing toxins, hormones, and gut health before and after.
• No-Cut Facelift, a minimally invasive facial rejuvenation, is a safer, scar-free alternative to traditional facelifts, emphasizing natural results.

Connect with Dr. Robert:

• Website of Dr. Robert
• Facebook - Dr. Robert Whitfield
• Instagram - @breastimplantillnessexpert
• YouTube - @breastimplantillnessexpert
• Podcast - Apple Podcasts - Explant Breast Surgery & Recovery

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Previous Episode - Is This Perimenopause or Something Else?
• More Like This - Younger for Life with America’s Holistic Plastic Surgeon®

Resources:

• Short & Easy Exercise videos in this 5 Day Flip Challenge.
• Get the planner to track your menopause health habits with the 90 Day Planner: Tracking the Flip.
• Get ready to lift, tone, and turn heads with the The Ultimate Glute Challenge.
• Flip the switch on your midlife metabolism with the Metabolism Makeover 2.0.

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Do you wonder “Is this perimenopause?” Do you wonder what it looks and feels like?

Get information on how to adjust and alter your exercise when you are.

My Guest:

Abby Chitty, a single mom with 5 kids between 15 and 24. She owns her own business as a realtor. We met on Instagram and I invited her to be a guest in this unique episode where we’re doing a coaching call and you get to listen over the fence.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• [00:05:15] What does perimenopause look like for asymptomatic women over 50?
• [00:20:00] What changes do we need to make to our workout routine?
• [00:25:00] If asymptomatic, how do we know if we’re moving through the stages and how then do we judge what changes to make?

What’s Showing Up for Abby?

• Gaining 20 lbs slowly post-kids, despite a healthy lifestyle.
• Feeling frustrated when traditional diet and exercise weren’t effective anymore.
• Friends telling you might be “doing too much” in terms of fitness.
  • 5 days/week strength training
  • Seasonal long-distance running (up to 30K)
  • Uses YouTube programs with fast-paced, minimal-rest formats
  • Occasional yoga/mobility work
  • Exercises to failure, prefers lifting heavy

Time to Flip the Switch with Abby:

• Overtraining & Recovery
  • Benefit from less frequent but heavier strength sessions
  • Incorporating rest + slower tempo lifting could help. Recovery may be insufficient—without it, muscle building stalls.
• Running & Cortisol
  • Long runs + strength + possible fasting = cortisol overload.
  • Midlife women are more vulnerable to stress and hormonal shifts.
  • Lower estrogen increases cortisol response, impacting body composition.
• Sleep & Metabolism
  • Sleep deprivation is linked to stubborn weight and reduced muscle recovery. Abby averages 5.5–6.5 hours of sleep, with limited REM/deep sleep.
  • Need more sleep to trigger growth hormone/testosterone release.
• Supplements
  • Try specific forms (glycinate or L-threonate) and gradually increase the dose. Abby uses magnesium oil and a multivitamin with magnesium.
• Nutrition
  • A little caloric deficit is okay, but eat enough. Not doing it too long creates stress.
  • Reintroduce sweet potatoes. Carbs with high fiber at night will help us sleep better.

Key Takeaways to Know Is This Perimenopause?

• You might be in perimenopause without classic symptoms: Weight gain and sleep disruption can be early signs.
• More isn’t always better in midlife exercise: Volume should decrease, intensity (with recovery) can rise.
• Muscle preservation is crucial: It drives metabolism and health outcomes more than weight alone.
• Sleep matters just as much as workouts: It affects hormonal balance, recovery, and fat loss.
• Cortisol and insulin sensitivity shift in midlife: Long-distance cardio and fasting a tricky combo.
• Smart scale stats are more telling than BMI: Body composition paints a clearer health picture.
• Personalized magnesium dosing: May improve sleep and aid recovery in midlife.

Connect with Abby:

• Instagram - @abbysmarket

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Previous Episode - Energy Crashes & Stubborn Belly Fat After 40 (and what to do about it)
• Next Episode - Breast Implants and No-Cut Facelifts - the Surgeon with Answers
• More Like This – Weight Gain in Perimenopause and Menopause

Resources:

• Don’t know where to start? Book your Discovery Call with Debra
• Join the Flipping50 Insiders Facebook Group and connect with Debra and the community.
• Understand how sleep relates to your hormones, muscle mass and weight loss with Flipping 50 Sleep Yourself Skinny

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Dealing with stubborn belly fat after 40 is reality for many women. It may happen in your 40s, 50’s, 60s or even 70s. And no one… not even an 87 yo likes it.

My guest reminded me there is no “pre” … there is diabetes.

So let that be a wake up call. We can’t control aging. We can over control carbs to the point blood sugar levels spike. You heard that right. We can fast so long blood sugar levels spike.

Learn more surprising insight inside this episode. Stay to the end for an invite to a free summit coming up regarding blood sugar levels too.

My Guest:

Dr. Nana Ama Quansah is a Root Cause Care Practitioner, Pharmacist, and Blood Sugar Optimization Expert dedicated to helping high-achievers reclaim their energy, focus, and health. As the founder of Ditch Diabetes Academy, she empowers individuals to stabilize blood sugar and put type 2 diabetes in remission without restrictive diets or overwhelm through her international online programs.

With a Doctor of Pharmacy degree and experience spanning Fortune 500 healthcare companies, hospitals, and personalized coaching, Dr. Nana bridges the gap between conventional medicine and root-cause healing. She’s been featured on global podcasts and international TV, sharing insights on reversing blood sugar imbalances naturally.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• [00:05:22] Why does blood sugar matter (even if you’re not diabetic)?
• [00:08:55] What are the hidden signs of blood sugar imbalance women should watch for?
• [00:12:42] What are some so-called 'healthy habits' that backfire and make blood sugar issues worse?
• [00:16:20] What’s going on under the surface?
• [00:21:49] Why do we need to go deeper with comprehensive functional testing?
• [00:26:39] What are the simple shifts for better blood sugar balance to help them now if they feel stuck.

Unlocking the Blood Sugar Connection to Stubborn Belly Fat After 40

• Blood sugar affects every system in the body—brain function, muscle energy, mood, and sleep.
• Daily spikes in blood sugar can cause fatigue, cravings, and brain fog—even in "healthy eaters."

Common Hidden Signs of Blood Sugar Imbalance

• Afternoon energy crashes
• Cravings
• Brain fog
• Poor sleep
• Mood swings
• Hormonal shifts (especially around menopause or PCOS)

These symptoms are the body’s “whispers” that something’s off.

Healthy Habits That Might Be Hurting You

• Skipping meals or prolonged fasting can worsen hormonal imbalance.
• Drinking coffee without food increases cortisol and leads to crashes later.
• Low-carb diets can backfire by raising stress and depriving your gut of fiber-rich, insulin-balancing foods.
• Eliminating carbs without strategy = increased cravings, mood issues, and stalled fat loss.

What Actually Helps Stabilize Blood Sugar

• Eat a protein-rich breakfast—especially before coffee.
• Focus on fiber-rich carbs like veggies, nuts, chia, and flax instead of slashing carbs.
• Don’t ignore stress and sleep—they’re as important as food.
• Aim for balance, not restriction.

Key Takeaways:

• Blood sugar imbalance is common and sneaky—even in women without diabetes.
• Listening to your body is the first test—trust what it tells you.
• Insulin resistance is the doorway to metabolic issues—even if you're just in the “pre-diabetic” zone.
• Blood sugar dysfunction affects belly fat, energy, brain clarity, and long-term health.

Connect with Dr. Nana:

• Join the Redefining Diabetes Summit on April 21-29th 2025. Register here: https://ditchdiabetesacademy.com/flipping50
• Facebook - Ditch Diabetes Academy
• Instagram - @dr.nanapharmd
• YouTube - @dr.nanapharmd
• TikTok - @dr.nanapharmd

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Previous Episode - Whole Body Vibration for Women over 50
• Next Episode - Is This Perimenopause or Something Else?
• More Like This - Walking Off Weight in Menopause | Controlling Blood Sugar

Resources:

• Join the Flipping50 Membership for evidence-based workout programs.
• Don’t know where to start? Book your Discovery Call with Debra.
• Grab the FREE GUIDE to know the root causes of sugar cravings and Type 2 Diabetes with strategies to improve your health.

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Whole Body Vibration for menopause is revolutionizing fitness, boosting bone density, flexibility, and recovery — all essential for thriving through midlife and beyond..

This science-backed solution supports strength, balance, and energy. Get ready to explore how Whole Body Vibration for menopause can elevate your wellness routine and redefine what’s possible at any age.

My Guest:

Scott Hopson, co-founder of Pivotal Coaching, is a global leader in fitness and performance education. With over 25 years of expertise, Scott leverages Whole Body Vibration through Power Plate to optimize strength, flexibility, recovery, and holistic well-being for women in midlife.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• [00:05:45] What is Whole Body Vibration (WBV)? How does it support wellness?
• [00:15:48] How does WBV address fitness challenges for women over 50, including hormonal balance and muscle maintenance?
• [00:21:33] How does WBV build bone density and lower osteoporosis risk?
• [00:29:01] How does WBV improve flexibility and mobility, especially for recovery or limited movement?
• [00:29:46] What are the energy-boosting and fatigue-reducing benefits of WBV?
• [00:25:21] How does WBV support stress relief and enhance mental clarity?
• [00:13:47] What are simple ways to integrate WBV into daily routines efficiently?
• [00:29:52] How does WBV compare to traditional strength training? Can it complement it?
• [00:33:35] How has Power Plate been successfully paired with other wellness practices?

Whole Body Vibration

Using platforms like the Power Plate to boost muscle activation, bone density, and overall wellness.

How Whole Body Vibration Works:

• Platforms move 30-50 times per second, creating powerful muscle contractions without high-impact stress.
• Mimics the benefits of gravity and ground reaction force, ideal for building strength and bone density.

Key Benefits of Whole Body Vibration for Menopause:

• Bone & Muscle Health: Helps improve bone density, critical for those at risk of osteoporosis.
• Low Impact, High Reward: Get muscle activation without jumping or heavy lifting—perfect for those with joint issues.
• Efficient Workouts: Hundreds of muscle contractions in the same time as regular exercises—hello, results!
• Versatile for All Ages: From teens in sports to older adults wanting more strength and stability.

"You’ve never needed intensity in exercise more in your life than now."Debra Atkinson, MS, CSCS

Connect with Scott:

• Shake up your strength training, get your Power Plate here! https://flippingfifty.com/powerplate CODE: Flipping50
• Instagram - @pivotal_coaching
• YouTube - @pivotalcoaching5715

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Previous Episode - More Simple Strategies for Effective Short Workouts in Menopause
• Next Episode - Is This Perimenopause or Something Else?
• More Like This - Joy of Movement: Finding the Lost Art of Exercise After 50
• More Like This - Why Creativity Matters More in Midlife Movement

Resources:

• Join the Flipping50 Membership for evidence-based workout programs.
• Short & Easy Exercise videos in this 5 Day Flip Challenge.
• Don’t know where to start? Book your Discovery Call with Debra.

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Here are more tips for effective short workouts in menopause. I know some of you listeners are addicted to your arm work. Yet, who has time?

Well, what if I could give you arm work that works… without the extra 20 minutes?

In a recent short strength training strategies episode I said I would share how I sneak in ancillary exercises (for arms or shoulders) for effective short workouts in menopause.

If you’re in post menopause, the set of stimulus you need is higher than PRE or perimenopause. You're juggling the need for volume to get the testosterone and growth hormone stimulus with the need to avoid the adrenal and cortisol stress that you could cause!!

Triceps

Choose 5 or 6 triceps exercises and do them in rapid succession. For instance, overhead press, tricep dips, skull crushers, press downs with short and long levers and a rope overhead press from the cable.

Biceps

I might do 3 sets, the first with 6 sets to fatigue, then a set of 12 to fatigue and last a set of 25 to fatigue. I don’t rest between those either and I often will do a different exercise or a variation of grips. I’ll do a palm up, a palm in neutral and a long lever bicep exercise as an example.

Shoulders

Choose 3-4 shoulder exercises in succession. If I’m including an overhead press I’ll begin with it. Then I’ll do each reverse fly, front raise and lateral raise.

Choose fewer bicep curls than triceps press. That’s because we use biceps to carry and hold things. I don’t do overhead presses frequently.

Our newest 12-week program for our members is really advanced. It’s going to shorten all workouts, still provide the sets and stimulus we want and yet, you’ve been warned, it’s not going to feel easy when you’re in it.

Get Stronger, Leaner, Better Effective Short Workouts in Menopause!

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Previous Episode - What’s Better Running or Walking for Midlife Fat Loss (and why)
• Next Episode - Whole Body Vibration for Menopause
• More Like This - 3 Short Strength Training Session Strategies for Women in Menopause

Resources:

• Join the Flipping 50 Menopause Fitness Specialist for a hormone-balancing exercise expert program.

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Is walking the new running for midlife fat loss? Learn the benefits and why walking for midlife fat loss works so well.

I’ve shared - and will link to - two episodes recently linking the benefits of walking to both my personal experience and science-based results from walking. See other episodes you might like below!

An elite athlete joins us today to share his thoughts on walking for midlife fat loss.

My Guest:

Brad Kearns, Mark Sisson’s co-author on The Keto Reset Diet, boasts a diverse athletic career as a US national champion triathlete and Guinness World Record speed golfer. His B.rad podcast is a top-ranked Apple Podcasts favorite in the Fitness category, showcasing his dedication to fitness and health innovation.

Longevity Mindset

Why Brad is determined to live to 100+ and how you can, too.

• Stay Young at Heart: Brad shares why surrounding yourself with younger, vibrant friends keeps your spirit (and body) youthful.
• Live Long, Drop Dead: Embrace the idea of living vibrantly until the very end—no long declines, just a sharp drop when it’s time.
• Compress Morbidity: Aim to delay the onset of age-related issues for as long as possible—live fully, then go quickly and peacefully.
• Set Big Goals: Whether it's mastering a new sport or planning to hike the Appalachian Trail (but maybe not camping, as Deb jokes!), staying future-focused boosts longevity.
• Plan for 100+: Brad isn’t just aiming for 100 years—he’s got a game plan for reaching 110 and beyond!

Fat-Burning Wisdom

• Fat Max Heart Rate: Keep exercise at a comfortable pace to maximize fat burning.
• Walking vs. Running: Walking is kinder on your body and great for fat loss — no guilt if you’re not a runner!
• High-Intensity Training: Short bursts of intense effort with plenty of rest boost metabolism for days.

Key Takeaways for Walking for Midlife Fat Loss

• Ditch the “Shoulds”: You don’t have to run or do hardcore workouts to be fit.
• The Power of Walking: It’s not “just walking”—it’s a metabolic and mental game-changer.
• Micro Workouts: Little movements throughout the day add up—think squats while waiting for coffee!
• Longevity Strategy: The goal isn’t just to live longer but to thrive with energy and strength.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• Do you focus on female science, female clients or a mixture of both?
• What does a typical day look like for you?
• Is running or walking better for fitness? How does rephrasing to “Which is better for fatness, running or walking?” change the perspective?
• How can we empower listeners to know when running is okay and when it’s too stressful?
• Explain how walking helps women lose fat more effectively than running, especially given the focus on calorie burn over hormonal balance.
• How many steps a day should someone aim for? Or is there a better question to ask?

Connect with Brad:

• Click here to pre-order Born to Walk
• Visit www.BorntoWalkbook.com with discounts and bonuses for ordering
• Facebook - Brad Kearns Jump High
• Instagram - @bradkearns1
• YouTube - @brad.kearns

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Previous Episode - 3 Short Strength Training Session Strategies for Women in Menopause
• Next Episode - More Simple Strategies for Effective Short Workouts in Menopause
• More Like This - Take a Walk with a 57-year old Book Author | Just 1400 Miles

Resources:

• Join the Flipping50 Membership for evidence-based workout programs.
• Short & Easy Exercise videos in this 5 Day Flip Challenge.
• Don’t know where to start? Book your Discovery Call with Debra.

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Want to do a short strength training session but not compromise on your results? Coming right up!

These tips are not something I would do every session. But something effective for those infrequent sessions when you feel you just don’t have the time but your muscles (or body composition) is crying out for the workout.

In a follow up episode I’ll share how I organize workouts to get an efficient and effective volume of work done with both less mental stress and less time.

Consistency is the key to better fitness. It is a challenge for women in midlife so some of the options you’ll find here are focused on time saving ways to make a workout effective without a huge investment in time.

That said, a certain amount of volume is really key for older women to get the stimulus that muscle needs for the Muscle Protein Synthesis that boosts muscle strength and mass.

1. Tempo Training
2. Myo Reps or Cluster Sets
3. Monster Sets

Short Strength Training Session #1: Tempo Training

Tempo Training changes the traditional 2-3 second lift and 4-second lower (an average of 6 seconds per repetition) by adding up to 4 unique variations:

• The Lift
• The Pause at end range
• The Lower
• The Pause at the end of the lift, but the weight is still kept at tension

By changing these any number of ways the Time Under Tension (TUT) during the exercise changes significantly. For instance, lengthening the time in the eccentric contraction can result in a significant increase in difficulty.

Who Benefits:

• Very effective for those who are limited in ability to go heavy but want to reach muscular fatigue or within 2 Reps in Reserve (RIR).
• Great way to slow down and check whether you’ve just gotten in a hurry to do reps and aren’t even really optimizing muscle but instead using momentum.

More Effective Short Strength Training Sessions for Women in Midlife

Short Strength Training Session #2: Myo Reps

Myo Reps, or Cluster Reps, is essentially just one large set broken into micro sets.

IDEAfit, a magazine for fitness professionals, highlighted how volume is important to women’s results especially as we age. However, one major issue is time constraints, or adding more days.

Recently, I heard podcast episodes by 20s-30s with different hormones than midlife women. They often suggest 3-4 times split routine training.

Two issues:

1. Lack Of Recovery Time. It’s not just your muscles that need rest. We need our endocrine system (adrenals, cortisol, all of it) to recover.
2. Lack Of Stimulus. 15-minute workouts are not enough for bone and muscle stimulus for post-menopause. These “workout snacks” won’t deliver the body composition or bone benefit.

If you’re new to weights or starting out, starting somewhere is better than nothing. But if your hope is to improve longevity with 15-minute workouts, I think it’s simply wrong information.

Short Strength Training Session #3: Monster Sets

Monster Sets, or Drop Sets, is an efficient way to do all sets in one big set. Similar to Myo Reps but longer, fuller sets before reducing weight.

How It Works:

• Warm up.
• Start with your heaviest weight and aim for 15 reps to fatigue.
• Immediately reduce the weight and do another 15 reps.
• Repeat this process for at least 4 sets of 15 reps.

If you’ve reached fatigue in 15 repetitions, by the end of 4 consecutive sets, you should feel very accomplished.

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Previous Episode - Why It May Be Your Thoughts Keeping You Fat, Tired or Injured in Menopause
• Next Episode - What’s Better Running or Walking for Midlife Fat Loss
• More Like This - Effective Fat Loss for Women After 50: Strategies That Work
• More Like This - I Asked Chat Gpt for 3 Menopause Strength Workouts – Here’s What I Got

Resources:

• Join the Flipping 50 Menopause Fitness Specialist for a hormone-balancing exercise expert program.

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Reduced estrogen impacts midlife injuries, but could your thoughts be keeping you fat, tired, or injured in menopause? Discover how 75% of recycled, negative thoughts shape your patterns and beliefs.

My Guest:

Riana Malia is a transformation coach trained in Evolved Neurolinguistic Programming (ENLP), Quantum Time Release (QTR), and Advanced Trauma-Aware Coaching.

With over 20 years of experience, she helps ambitious women live confidently, heal trauma, and overcome emotional blocks. Through her Quantum Pattern Protocol, Riana guides women to achieve personal and professional goals with a balanced, step-by-step approach.

As co-founder of the Collective Co. Institute, she creates transformative learning experiences through holistic healing and spiritual growth. Featured in The Mamahood blog, Brilliant Magazine: Women of Influence, and podcasts like Is Manifesting Bullshit? and InspiHER’d, Riana has empowered hundreds to find love, create pivots, and live their best lives.

The Power of ForgivenessLetting go not for others, but for your own peace—no more dragging around that emotional ball and chain!

Understanding NLP (Neurolinguistic Programming):

• What is NLP? It’s a method that examines the link between our thoughts (neuro), our words (linguistic), and our behaviors (programming). It helps reframe negative thoughts, improve communication, and shift behaviors.
• Evolved NLP: Takes traditional NLP further by adding energy work and intuitive practices. It’s not just about changing thought patterns but also about transforming deep-seated emotions and traumas.
• Quantum Healing Techniques: Riana used these advanced methods to rewire her brain, releasing old pain and building new, positive thought patterns.This approach helped her turn trauma into personal growth.

Key Takeaways for in Being Injured in Menopause:

• Emotional Baggage: How unresolved childhood beliefs can keep you stuck in old patterns—like feeling you always have to work harder to prove yourself.
• The “Away vs. Toward” Exercise: A practical tool to shift focus from what you don’t want (belly fat, exhaustion, negativity) to what you do want (vitality, joy, and self-love).
• Self-Compassion: Why forgiving yourself is just as important as forgiving others.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• [00:24:18] What common patterns do clients struggle to break, and what’s the first step to identifying them?
• [00:27:36] Why do 75% of repetitive thoughts tend to be negative, and how can we start shifting that?
• [00:28:32] How do our beliefs about ourselves shape how we navigate relationships and situations?
• [00:29:53] What simple, actionable steps can listeners take today to create more positive beliefs?

Connect with Riana:

• Riana’s Website
• Instagram - @rianamalia.official
• Facebook - Riana Malia

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Previous Episode - 4 Exercise Mistakes Hijacking Your Menopause Fitness
• Next Episode - 3 Short Strength Training Session Strategies for Women in Menopause
• More Like This - Why I Meditate and My Recent (2nd) Weeklong Meditation Experience

Resources:

• Join the Flipping50 Membership for evidence-based workout programs.
• Short & Easy Exercise videos in this 5 Day Flip Challenge.

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You’re doing it all but could there be hidden mistakes hijacking your menopause fitness. Increasing protein, lifting weights, doing high intensity… How can you be this active but not working?

Disclaimer: This could trigger you. The mistakes hijacking your menopause fitness you could be doing on purpose because you were told once this is what you SHOULD DO.

This episode is for all women, and for you. So let’s unpack these mistakes hijacking your menopause fitness.

Before anything.. Measure.

If you aren’t measuring your body composition - skeletal muscle mass vs. body fat—you won’t truly know what’s working. I’ll link to the 4 Smart scales in my store. You can get a Dexa or go to a gym.

#1 Not Consuming Enough Fuel Women are not the same as men on carbohydrate needs. We get little, we disrupt hormones. You are influenced by cortisol, insulin, thyroid, testosterone, growth hormone and the endocrine.

How much fuel do you need?

• Endocrine dysfunction - ~30-35 calories per kg of FFM in women; but around 15 calories per kg FFM in men.
• Fat Free Mass (FFM) - say you’re 130kg and you have 25% body fat. You need 2923 kcals to keep your body functioning well.

Fueling Your Workouts:

• Cardio: 30g carbs and 15g protein before
• Strength: 15g protein before + 30-45g protein after (higher in and after menopause)

Thyroid & Carbohydrates

• Low carb diets (under 100g) - pivotal point for lower thyroid function.
• Serotonin - produced in the gut, declines with low carb diets.
• Low-carb diets - don’t lead to better weight loss long-term, they cause water loss.

What Happens When You’re Under-Fueled?Low Energy Availability from brain (hypothalamus) to body…

• Hypothalamus signals HPA axis dysfunction
• Adrenals releases cortisol
• Thyroid slows metabolism
• Body conserves energy and breaks down muscle instead of fat for fuel

When You Fast, try one of these:

• High intensity intervals
• Lift heavy weights
• High intensity boot camp class
• Reduce carbs, maintain a keto-like diet while increasing your walks

Know the Sneaky Mistakes Hijacking Your Menopause Fitness

#2 Never REALLY Recovering From Hard Intervals or Hard Workouts

Some bootcamps and spin classes are rapid, high-intensity intervals without adequate recovery. Your cortisol levels during this session accumulate.

It feels like you crushed it, but here’s the truth: if you’re not giving yourself real recovery, you’re not hitting your peak.

When you skip the full recovery, you’re not building the strength and power that protect against sarcopenia (muscle loss).

Try these:

• Warm-up A:
• Run up a steep hill for 40 seconds
• Mark that point on the hill
• Slowly go back down
• Fully recover, with your nasal breathing.

• Repeat until you don’t make it to the same spot on the hill

• Warm-up B:

• Run up a steep hill for 40 seconds
• Mark that point on the hill
• Quickly make your way down
• Cool down within 60 seconds
• Immediately run up again
• Repeat until you don’t make it to the same spot on the hill

They both will feel hard, but only one gets you to your maximum capacity.

The glycolytic fibers - fast twitch that sustain power fatigue quickly. Women have fewer of them than slow twitch and lose twice as fast as slow-twitch fibers. Fast-twitch fibers need power moves — like heavy lifting or box jumps — and plenty of recovery to reload and go again.

You’re fooling yourself into thinking you’re getting in better shape.

So test yourself… a simple protocol you can do at home.

Try a full test battery you can easily do at home - I’ll provide access to it in the show notes as soon as it’s ready.

Measure. Monitor your waist girth, your body fat percent and your skeletal muscle. Rate your energy, sleep, focus, digestion and elimination. Are you improving, worse or the same? When you’re exercising optimally these things also improve. It’s not just muscle mass and fat.

Are these Mistakes Hijacking Your Menopause Fitness?

#3 Relying on Caffeine, Bar Codes and Over Emphasis on Packaged Food

By nature, your cortisol level is highest at about 8am. You’ve fasted overnight and if you’re not eating soon after waking, especially if you’re exercising as a female, your body has stressor on top of stressor:

• Punched your ticket in midlife (less estrogen, more cortisol)
• Caffeine (more cortisol)
• No fuel (more cortisol)
• Exercise (more cortisol)

Fuel before intense exercise.

Fuel again after, especially within the 24 hour period after resistance training or other HARD workouts the need for recovery persists, so it’s not just that single meal following activity.

#4 Always High and Hard You have never needed high intensity more in your life than whatever age over 40 you are now.

You also need full recovery … between intervals, strength training sets and sessions.

Here’s the secret:

• Muscle gets stronger between sessions. The exercise is the stimulus. The recovery is where fitness happens – the release of hormones, the repair and supercompensation.
• Recovery time. Get AT LEAST 48 to 72 hours between hard use of the same muscle groups.
• Active Recovery. The low intensity movement between your hard sessions is absolutely important in increasing circulation, blood sugar stabilization, improving sleep and mood and overall fitness levels.

Keep It Simple:

1. Movement Time. Walking at the level below where cortisol negatively spikes so you can reduce or optimize it.
2. Short & Intense. Spend small amounts of time in high intensity interval session - where you recover completely between sessions.
3. All Major Muscle Groups. Spend 2-3 sessions a week hitting all major muscle groups or twice to total muscle fatigue. If you’re in post menopause, the volume of sets has to be greater compared to a perimenopause woman.
4. Recover. Give yourself at least 48 hours.. 72 is often BEST.

Resources:

• Flipping50 Membership
• Flipping50 Insiders Group

Other Podcasts You Might Like:

• Previous Episode - Is Red Light Therapy the Answer to Aches, Pains and More Movement?
• Next Episode - 3 Short Strength Training Session Strategies for Women in Menopause
• More Like This - 12 Strength Training Mistakes in Menopause Robbing Your Results

References:

• Loucks AB, Verdun M, Heath EM. Low energy availability, not stress of exercise, alters LH pulsatility in exercising women. J Appl Physiol (1985). 1998 Jan;84(1):37-46. doi: 10.1152/jappl.1998.84.1.37. PMID: 9451615. https://doi.org/10.1152/jappl.1998.84.1.37
• Naude CE, Brand A, Schoonees A, Nguyen KA, Chaplin M, Volmink J. Low-carbohydrate versus balanced-carbohydrate diets for reducing weight and cardiovascular risk. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2022 Jan 28;1(1):CD013334. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD013334.pub2. PMID: 35088407; PMCID: PMC8795871. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.cd013334.pub2
• Shulhai AM, Rotondo R, Petraroli M, Patianna V, Predieri B, Iughetti L, Esposito S, Street ME. The Role of Nutrition on Thyroid Function. Nutrients. 2024 Jul 31;16(15):2496. doi: 10.3390/nu16152496. PMID: 39125376; PMCID: PMC11314468. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16152496

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Red Light Therapy is not just for the rich and the pro-athlete any more! It’s a revolutionary tool for midlife women ready to take control of their health, vitality, and confidence. Whether it’s about reducing inflammation, relieving pain, or improving skin health, this science-backed therapy is changing the way we approach wellness.

This episode unpacks Red Light Therapy, what it is, how it works and whether it can work on your gut health, plantar fasciitis, knee pain and more.

My Guest:

Forrest Smith grew up playing competitive sports in Atlanta and regularly participates in rugby matches and trains CrossFit, which ultimately led him to develop Kineon Lab’s Move+: a modular, targeted laser therapy device for neuromuscular pain and inflammation.

What is Red Light Therapy (RLT)?

Through the science of photobiomodulation, RLT uses specific light wavelengths to boost cell repair, reduce inflammation, and promote healing—all without the need for medication. He highlights how red and infrared light work in the body to improve blood flow, release nitric oxide, and ease chronic inflammation.

What are the benefits of Red Light Therapy?

• Pain Relief: Particularly for joint pain, osteoarthritis, and conditions like plantar fasciitis.
• Inflammation Reduction: Especially relevant for women in midlife dealing with hormonal changes, weight loss resistance, and systemic inflammation during perimenopause and menopause.
• Enhanced Recovery: Promoting healthy blood flow and supporting tissue repair.
• Gut Health and Mood: Can boost dopamine levels and improve mood, showcasing the gut-brain connection.
• Support for Autoimmune Conditions: Including asthma and multiple sclerosis, by targeting systemic inflammation.
• Hormonal Balance: Potential benefits for insulin resistance and thyroid health, with specific mention of Hashimoto’s and hypothyroidism.

Who will benefit from Red Light Therapy?

• Women in midlife: Especially those dealing with inflammation, weight loss resistance, and hormonal changes during perimenopause and menopause.
• Chronic pain sufferers: Individuals with joint pain, osteoarthritis, plantar fasciitis, and other musculoskeletal issues.
• Those with autoimmune conditions: Including asthma and multiple sclerosis, as RLT may help reduce systemic inflammation.
• Individuals with gut health concerns: The therapy can boost dopamine levels and improve mood, linking to the gut-brain connection.
• People struggling with hormonal imbalances: Such as insulin resistance and thyroid issues, including Hashimoto’s and hypothyroidism.
• Athletes and active individuals: Seeking faster recovery and pain relief from injuries.
• Anyone avoiding pharmaceuticals: Looking for a natural approach to managing pain and inflammation.

The Move+ Red Light Therapy

The Move Plus is a wearable laser device developed by Forrest Smith and his team. It offers a more affordable option for clinical-grade laser therapy at home, priced under $500, compared to traditional laser devices that can cost $10,000 or more.

Key features of The Move+:

• Uses medical-grade lasers (not just LEDs) to deliver effective doses of light to the body.
• Designed with wearability and convenience in mind—Forrest even wears it around his neck during the interview.
• Helps with pain relief, inflammation reduction, and supporting recovery from injuries.
• Targets specific areas like the neck, gut, knees, and lower back, and can be used for systemic treatments (e.g., blood dosing through the neck).
• Backed by research and development, including collaboration with scientific advisors and medical professionals.
• Approved for travel, with FCC clearance, allowing users to take it on flights and use it while on the go.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• How does red light therapy “work”?
• Could weight loss resistance and insulin resistance benefit from red light therapy?
• Can you share success stories of how red light therapy has transformed lives?
• What’s the best way to incorporate it into a healthy lifestyle?
• Should the treated area be active or at rest during use?
• Can we easily travel with this?
• What is the future of red light therapy and similar products?
• What sets the MOVE+ apart from other RLT devices?

Connect with Forrest:

• Try to The MOVE - Enjoy $100 discount and FREE shipping during this first week of the podcast release!
• Facebook
• Instagram
• YouTube

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Previous Episode - If I Wanted to Reduce My Risk of Heart Disease Post Menopause
• Next Episode - 4 Exercise Mistakes Hijacking Your Menopause Fitness (and how to fix them)
• More Like This – Hype or Hip? | Sauna Benefits During Menopause

Resources:

• Flipping 50 Membership
• Flipping 50 STRONGER 12-week program
• The What, Why, and When of PRP and Shockwave Therapy

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Women collectively “Catch Up” to men in their risk by age 60, largely because of the loss of estrogen. Based on studies from the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session (April 2024) and the American Heart Association (2013, 2023).

Changes in blood pressure, cholesterol, and visceral belly fat all seem to be a part of the menopause transition for many women. Women spend 40% or more of their lives post-menopause, that’s a health risk if left unchecked. Women who have an early menopause, have even more time in their lives in post menopause.

Many women are advised or think about weight loss, stress reduction.

Very few women think about heart health risk and muscle loss. Yet, to define cardiovascular fitness is to talk about VO2 max.

VO2 max measures oxygen consumption capacity or liters of oxygen the body consumes during exercise, expressed in ml/kg/min. For every 1 liter of oxygen consumed roughly 5 kcals are burned.

Two components of VO2:

• The delivery of oxygen
• The extraction of oxygen from the tissues

Heart health CAN decline rapidly after menopause…

All statistics are based on historically what’s been true… and we sometimes forget that if we choose not to participate in the same habits of past generations we don’t have to get the same results.

If you lose muscle, you lose VO2.

If you lose VO2, you die tired, younger, sicker and fatter.

Replacing the overemphasis on cardiovascular exercise which seems to be the first go-to for women, trainers, and physicians alike, with an equal emphasis on muscle is the first step.

BUT.. that negates the fact that.. muscle-building exercise improves blood sugar levels, increase strength, stamina, power to inspire and motivate greater activity

Training Plan to Avoid Risk of Heart Disease Post Menopause

We also train wrong for women in midlife.

Highs and lows are best for women midlife.

Moderate-intensity exercise, a go-to for many women since the 80s, is actually an energy drain. Instead of reducing stress, it spikes cortisol, making fat loss and recovery harder.

High intensity to toleration during perimenopause, not all women tolerate when hormones are doing the greatest fluctuation. There’s a dance between the muscle, heart, bone benefits and the adrenals/cortisol response that has to be done.

Post menopause hormones have stabilized and a woman is likely to tolerate more high intensity- not longer but with greater frequency from say 2 times a week to up to 4. This will help overcome the loss of fast twitch muscle fibers lost more quickly with age and without fast or powerful movements. The significant boost of growth hormone and testosterone that occurs with true high intensity exercise provides mitigation of cortisol.

Let’s review this again. Moderate exercise can occur for 3 reasons:

• Intentionally you unknowingly are trying to hit moderate level exercise
• You attend boot camp type classes that never allow complete recovery. They feel hard and high intensity for long periods of time, but in actuality, you’re not reaching your peak capacity.
• You start out going at a low level but you either push it because you feel good or you go longer because it feels good, both result in a cardiac drift into the “no benefits zone” of moderate intensity exercise.

What’s the answer? Your midlife workout formula should look like this:

• 80% Low Intensity (walking, recovery movement)

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Building strength and metabolism in midlife is not hard. It’s just not easy to follow data and not emotion.

This episode goes beyond sets and reps to uncover why muscle maintenance and metabolic health hinge on listening to both science and emotions. Discover how prioritizing recovery can unlock better strength and metabolism in midlife.

My Guest:

Ben Brown, owner of Body Systems, empowers clients worldwide with Pure Science, Proven Results™ Coaching Process, a science-backed approach to health freedom. With advanced degrees in Strength and Conditioning and Clinical Nutrition, he blends data, behavior change, and coaching to deliver sustainable results. Ben’s mission is to help clients align their goals with lasting strength, balance, and vitality.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• What is the importance of maintaining/improving muscle mass for women in midlife? [00:09:50]
• How metabolism impacts fat loss and why so many midlife women struggle with metabolism [00:20:00]
• How to increase metabolism in midlife? [00:20:50]
• The shocking truth about using emotions to make decisions [00:28:50]
• Why data over emotions and how to use data to make informed decisions? [00:29:20]
• Why injuries can be great opportunities to get stronger in other areas, NOT excuses to "Rest"? [00:33:10]
• How and when to rest? Let’s talk about all the places rest and recovery come into play. [00:21:40]

Connect with Benjamin:https://bodysystems.com/

On Social:

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/benjamin.brown.146/

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/bodysystemscoaching/

YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@bodysystemscoaching

Other Episodes You Might Like:

2 Big Obstacles to Gaining Lean Muscle and Fat Loss After 40:https://www.flippingfifty.com/fat-loss-after-40/

Lean Muscle in Menopause: 7 Supplements I Use:https://www.flippingfifty.com/lean-muscle-in-menopause/

Muscle and Body Composition in Menopause:https://www.flippingfifty.com/muscle-and-body-composition-in-menopause/

Resources:

Flipping 50 Membership:https://www.flippingfifty.com/cafe

Flipping 50 STRONGER 12-week program:https://www.flippingfifty.com/getstronger

Discovery Call with Debra:https://www.flippingfifty.com/wellness-coaching-for-life/

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Walking in menopause isn’t just exercise — it’s your secret sauce for boosting body and mind! With a few fun tweaks, make every step turn into a memory-boosting, fat-burning powerhouse.

Slip on those sneakers. Tune in while taking a walk! This episode is all about making walking in menopause more beneficial!

Walking 40 minutes three times a week increases Hippocampus(memory central).

A 2011 study on older adults at the University of Colorado, published in the Journal Neuroimage, proved this! The hidden gem – you can walk at any pace you like. There’s no minimum exertion level for this to happen.

Walk short vs long

So much research I’ve shared previously showed that intermittent breaks really matter more. Breaking up sedentary time with 2-5 minute movement breaks reduced post-meal blood sugar spikes by 17%.

Walk after meals

10 minute walks after meals had a more positive impact than a single long walk. Especially when it comes to blood sugar, belly fat and insulin resistance, more studies show! And yes, after is better than before. But if you’re debating between before or not at all, yes go! You will make walking in menopause more beneficial this way by directly supporting blood sugar balance and combating insulin resistance.

Go a different route or backwards

Dr Ellen Langer, the Mother of Mindfulness, was the first female professor at Harvard and she’s done some notable research in aging, mindset, and placebo. She shared the idea of creating habits – have us all operating automatically. Instead, she said the secret is noticing. Truly being mindful.

More Fun Ways to Make Walking in Menopause a Total Game-Changer Walk and talk (therapists now walk)

Need a little therapy? If not with an actual therapist but a friend. There’s science to show the combination of walking outdoors (possibly even at a track) and talking is beneficial. Throw into the mix sunshine and you have three powerful serotonin producers, for a feel good session to rival antidepressant and anxiety meds.

I’ve been known to take my phone and call a friend and talk through a 45 minute walk when life gets crazy.

Amplify the learning opportunity

Students who learn best, do. Learning any material while moving can boost your retention of it. The trick is to find activity and content you can focus on.

Walking makes it easy and listening to a podcast that's educating you - whether on the benefits of walking (this is truly meta if you’re walking right now) or you’re learning about how to organize your closet or why essential amino acids are important. Students who move retain up to 76% compared to 37% while sitting.

Weighted vest

Using a weighted vest can increase the metabolic costs, relative exercise intensity, and loading of the skeletal system during walking.

A study of trail runners concluded that between 5 and 10% the physiological and mechanical changes were significant. Meaning that at 10% additional load, there could be a considerable amount more stress on your system and your mechanics may also be altered. If you weigh 140 lbs and are using a weighted vest, you might be best starting for short periods of time with between 7 and 14 lbs, being careful not to do much time with 14 lbs until well adapted.

And Finally—The 8th Way To Make Walking In Menopause More Beneficial Add intervals

Do this last one with conscious planning. It’s not always “more is better.”

Many midlife and older women were born into the “harder or more is better” thinking. It can be hard to lose this. But if you never go easy, you’re fooling yourself to think your “hard” effort is actually your capacity.

To make walking more beneficial in menopause you’ll want it all: short and moderate and longer walks. You’ll want brisk and leisurely paced walks. But at the core of the majority of benefits from walking is just do it, daily, for a cumulative effect of movement that occurs several times a day.

Are you interested in a virtual training that accumulates in a virtual “event”?

Maybe a Flipping 50 walk on the same day, in different parts of the world.

We’d love to hear your thoughts on Flipping 50 Facebook Group.

Resources:

Flipping50 Membership:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/cafe

Glucose Monitor:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/myglucose

Other Podcasts You Might Like:

The Effects of Walking on Health:https://www.flippingfifty.com/walking

Best Walking Tips to Help You Ditch Stress and Lose Weight:https://www.flippingfifty.com/walking-tips

21 Walking Tips:https://www.flippingfifty.com/walking-tips-2

Power of Walking:https://www.flippingfifty.com/power-of-walking

5 Walking Workouts You’ll Run to for Better Results:https://www.flippingfifty.com/walking-workouts

7 Walking Mistakes that Prevent Weight Loss After 50:https://www.flippingfifty.com/walking-mistakes Should You Hold Weights While You Walk?: https://www.flippingfifty.com/walking-with-weights

Take a Walk with Kathy Eklund:https://www.flippingfifty.com/take-a-walk

Walking off Weight in Menopause:https://www.flippingfifty.com/walking-off-weight

References:

Mendez Colmenares A, Voss MW, Fanning J, Salerno EA, Gothe NP, Thomas ML, McAuley E, Kramer AF, Burzynska AZ. White matter plasticity in healthy older adults: The effects of aerobic exercise. Neuroimage. 2021 Oct 1;239:118305. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118305. Epub 2021 Jun 24. PMID: 34174392. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118305

Ferrer, M. E., & Laughlin, D. D. (2017). Increasing College Students’ Engagement and Physical Activity with Classroom Brain Breaks: Editor: Ferman Konukman. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 88(3), 53–56. https://doi.org/10.1080/07303084.2017.1260945

Engeroff T, Groneberg DA, Wilke J. After Dinner Rest a While, After Supper Walk a Mile? A Systematic Review with Meta-analysis on the Acute Postprandial Glycemic Response to Exercise Before and After Meal Ingestion in Healthy Subjects and Patients with Impaired Glucose Tolerance. Sports Med. 2023 Apr;53(4):849-869. doi: 10.1007/s40279-022-01808-7. Epub 2023 Jan 30. PMID: 36715875; PMCID: PMC10036272. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-022-01808-7

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Of the many changes that occur midlife, metabolic health during menopause may be too low on your list. We think about the changes we experience: the brain fog, the change in our waking energy, the belly fat or lack of muscle tone.

Know the importance of metabolic health and the need to understand what’s going on.

The Flipping 50 STRONGER series is now or soon will be open. For a coach experienced in supporting your needs start to end, join this program or the notifications list.

My Guest:

Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo, founder of the Institute of Nutritional Endocrinology, transforms the healthcare system by using the wisdom of nature combined with modern scientific research to restore balance.

Dr. Ritamarie is a licensed chiropractor with certifications in Acupuncture, Nutrition, Herbal Medicine, and HeartMath®. Also a master at using palate-pleasing, whole fresh food as medicine. She’s a bestselling author, speaker, and podcast host with 30+ years of clinical expertise.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• What is metabolic health?[00:04:20]
• What's the criteria for being metabolically well?[00:15:17]
• Why are so many people metabolically unhealthy?[00:11:37]
• What hormones are involved?[00:18:34]
• What is metabolic health's relationship to menopause?[00:23:49]
• How does exercise fit in?[00:26:41]

Connect with Dr Ritamarie:https://www.FastingWhileFeasting.com

On Social:

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/DrRitamarieLoscalzo

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/drritamarie/

Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/user/drritamarie

Other Episodes You Might Like:

The ABCs of Metabolic Mastery for Midlife Women:https://www.flippingfifty.com/metabolic-mastery/

Mastering Midlife Metabolism: The Key to Fat Loss After 45:https://www.flippingfifty.com/key-to-fat-loss-after-45/

How to Boost Your Metabolism in Midlife the Non-Dieting Way:https://www.flippingfifty.com/boost-your-metabolism-in-midlife/

Resources:

Flipping 50 STRONGER 12-week program:https://www.flippingfifty.com/getstronger

Flipping 50 5-Day Flip:https://www.flippingfifty.com

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In this episode we’re diving into all things protein recommendations for women, especially women over 40. The spoiler alert is this: RDAs are not in your best health’s interest.

In case you’ve slept through this, check out the latest episode of Dr Gabrielle Lyons with Donald Layman. It’s a long hike or two walks to be sure. But in it you’ll hear how nutritional guidelines came about.

It will make you laugh.

We have put so much stock in something that was basically, like, this sounds good or a compromise.

And… the recommendations as we well know originally came from the dairy, beef and wheat councils who have government connections.

Much of what you’ve been led to believe about animal protein and saturated fat is false. Much of what you believe about eating cholesterol causing cholesterol is false. But what you haven’t heard about protein is also keeping you from optimal health.

The only way to know for sure how you’re affected is to: measure your body composition and skeletal muscle mass. Measure fat in a percentage and measure muscle in absolute lbs or kg. Log your energy, sleep, and hormone levels.

Get the protein support you need with Flipping Fifty’s protein powders. Plus, use promo code ‘byebye’ to save 15% on items still in stock.

Disclaimer: Nothing presented here should preclude information from your own personal health practitioner, registered dietitian, or your health conditions. That said, the hope is that it gives you reason to question and challenge the information presented to you or previous beliefs about nutrition, energy, food impact on health and performance.

Key Guidelines on Protein Recommendations for Women: Based on the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) for healthy, exercising individuals.

• Muscle Protein Synthesis (MPS): Both resistance exercise and protein intake boost MPS. Consuming protein before or after resistance exercise enhances this effect.

• Daily Protein Intake:

  • For muscle building and maintenance:

  1.4–2.0 grams of protein, per kg body weight, per day (g/kg/d)

  Example: 130 lb (59 kg) female would need 118 g of protein per day at 2.0 g/kg. + For improved body composition (in resistance-trained individuals):

  3.0 g/kg/day may help reduce fat mass.

  Example: 130 lb (59 kg) female would need 177 g of protein per day at 3.0 g/kg. + Per-Serving Protein Intake:Recommendations vary by age and exercise routine. Generally, 0.25 g of high-quality protein per kg of body weight, or 20–40 g per serving, is ideal. * Leucine Content:

Effective protein doses should contain 700–3000 mg of leucine and a full range of essential amino acids (EAAs).

Leucine content in proteins:

+ Pea protein: 1.7 g
+ Hydrolyzed beef (Paleo): 2–3 g

High proportions of essential amino acids (EAAs) and adequate leucine, are most effective in stimulating MPS.

• Protein Distribution and Timing:
  • Ideally, protein intake is evenly distributed every 3–4 hours throughout the day.
  • However, the anabolic effect of exercise is long-lasting, at least 24 h. Continuing protein intake throughout this period is beneficial to reduce muscle breakdown
• Animal vs. Plant Proteins:
  • Animal proteins provide all EAAs at high levels.
  • Most plant proteins need to be combined to meet EAA requirements, except for hemp hearts, quinoa, and (if tolerated) soy products.

Carbohydrate and Protein Recommendations for Women Endurance Athletes:

• Ensure adequate carbohydrate intake to enhance performance.
• Adding protein can reduce muscle damage and aid recovery.

Pre & Post Menopausal Women:

• Protein Timing:
  • Recent studies on men suggest timing is less important, but menopausal women benefit from more immediate post-exercise protein (40–60 g) to combat anabolic resistance.
• Carbohydrate Needs:
  • Low Energy Availability (LEA) and Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) risks increase when energy intake is too low:
    • Women: ~30–35 calories per kg of fat-free mass (FFM).
    • Men: ~15 calories per kg FFM.
    • Example: With 100 lbs FFM, a woman needs ~340 g of carbs/day.
• Risks of Low Carbohydrate Intake:
  • Many women consume only 50, 100, or 150 g of carbs, which may lead to not just reduced performance but also endocrine dysfunction and low bone mass.

Your Go-To Action Plan on Protein Recommendations for Women in Midlife

1. Assess Current Intake: Track total calories and protein.
2. Pre- and Post-Workout Nutrition: Focus on nutrient intake before and after high-intensity strength and interval training.
3. Evaluate Progress: Monitor weight, body composition (body fat and skeletal muscle).
4. Identify Caloric Needs: Check if you are undereating to maintain weight—especially if it has been ongoing.
5. Prioritize Lean Muscle Gain: Eating more and building muscle may be necessary before metabolism supports fat loss.

Protein Strategy for Postmenopausal Women:

• Aim for 1 g protein per lb of body weight.
• Distribute evenly at meals, targeting 30 g minimum, with 40+ g at meals and post-exercise.
• Track Results: Regularly evaluate the impact on body composition and overall health.

Resources:

Flipping50 Membership: https://www.flippingfifty.com/cafe

Protein Products: https://www.flippingfifty.com/protein

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Why HIIT May Be Failing You (and SIT) https://www.flippingfifty.com/hiit-may-be-failing-you

How to Exercise with High or Low Cortisol in Menopause: https://www.flippingfifty.com/getting-wrong-after-40

12 Strength Training Mistakes in Menopause Robbing Your Results: https://www.flippingfifty.com/12-strength-training-mistakes-in-menopause

References:

Heikura IA, Stellingwerff T, Areta JL. Low energy availability in female athletes: From the lab to the field. Eur J Sport Sci. 2022 May;22(5):709-719. doi: 10.1080/17461391.2021.1915391. Epub 2021 May 3. PMID: 33832385. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2021.1915391

Jäger R, Kerksick CM, Campbell BI, Cribb PJ, Wells SD, Skwiat TM, Purpura M, Ziegenfuss TN, Ferrando AA, Arent SM, Smith-Ryan AE, Stout JR, Arciero PJ, Ormsbee MJ, Taylor LW, Wilborn CD, Kalman DS, Kreider RB, Willoughby DS, Hoffman JR, Krzykowski JL, Antonio J. International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017 Jun 20;14:20. doi: 10.1186/s12970-017-0177-8. PMID: 28642676; PMCID: PMC5477153. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-017-0177-8

Mero AA, Huovinen H, Matintupa O, Hulmi JJ, Puurtinen R, Hohtari H, Karila TA. Moderate energy restriction with high protein diet results in healthier outcome in women. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2010 Jan 25;7(1):4. doi: 10.1186/1550-2783-7-4. PMID: 20205751; PMCID: PMC2822830.https://doi.org/10.1186/1550-2783-7-4

Ortinau LC, Hoertel HA, Douglas SM, Leidy HJ. Effects of high-protein vs. high- fat snacks on appetite control, satiety, and eating initiation in healthy women. Nutr J. 2014 Sep 29;13:97. doi: 10.1186/1475-2891-13-97. PMID: 25266206; PMCID: PMC4190484. https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2891-13-97

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Body positivity is a term by now you’re familiar with, but do you have a positive body mindset? Menopause changes your body, energy, or relationship that can come at midlife.

Of the up to 90,000 thoughts we think a day, how many of yours are about the body you have and don’t want vs gratitude for the one you’ve got? Tune in to have that positive body mindset!

My Guest:

Stephanie Roth-Goldberg, LCSW, CEDS-C is a psychotherapist and psychoanalyst specializing in treating eating disorders and athletes in NYC and NJ.

Stephanie teaches about Eating Disorders, anti-diet athletes, healthy food relationships, body image, and general endurance sport mental health. She is an Ironman finisher, has completed several triathlons and marathons. She is a certified RRCA run coach, certified intuitive eating counselor and most importantly a mom to two kids who so far also love running.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• How did you come into the work of mindset?[00:04:58]
• Discuss how mindset that exercise is to burn, or to earn or change some component of yourself you don’t like can be problematic[00:13:03]
• Is there a big difference between men and women around this[00:06:14]
• Let’s talk about the female body and dysmorphia[00:20:20]
• How does that compare and contrast to a man’s dysmorphia?[00:25:21]
• What is orthorexia?[00:07:51]

“You have to plan for it”

Stephanie Roth-Goldberg

Connect with Stephanie:https://www.intuitivepsychotherapynyc.com/

On Social:

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/embodiedpsychotherapist/

Resources:

Flipping 50 Membership:https://www.flippingfifty.com/cafe

Flipping 50 STRONGER 12-week program:https://www.flippingfifty.com/getstronger

Discovery Call with Debra:https://www.flippingfifty.com/wellness-coaching-for-life/

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HIIT may be failing you for two big reasons. Spoiler alert, here they are:

1. You aren’t actually hormonally in a place you’ll benefit.
2. You are doing them outside a sweet spot that is optimal for results

So I’ll quickly address #1 and have a deeper discussion on #2 and what actually is happening during HIIT and why it has the potential to be so good, if you’re ready!

Your Glucose Metabolism to Know Why HIIT May Be Failing You The classic form of “all out” HIIT is the Wingate test. After about 3 to 5 minutes of warm-up the subject cycles for 30 seconds at maximum effort against a standardized resistance. Typically four to six Wingate tests are performed separated by 4 minutes of rest, for a total of 2 to 3 minutes of maximal exercise spread over 15 to 30 minutes. This “all out” cycle ergometer form of HIT is also referred to as sprint interval training (SIT).

In intense exercise (>80% VO2max), unlike at lesser intensities, glucose is the exclusive muscle fuel. Catecholamine levels rise markedly, causing glucose production to rise seven- to eightfold while glucose utilization is only increased three- to fourfold. In people without diabetes there is a small blood glucose increase during intense exercise that increases further immediately at exhaustion and persists for up to 1 hour. Plasma insulin levels rise, correcting the glucose level and restoring muscle glycogen. This physiological response would be absent in type 1 diabetics.

Your Aerobic Endurance to Know Why HIIT May Be Failing You HIIT is effective in improving aerobic endurance. In one study six “all out” SIT sessions over 2 weeks improved the mean cycle endurance time to fatigue while cycling at approximately 80% of pretraining VO2max by 100% (from 26 to 51 minutes).

This required a total high-intensity exercise time of only 15 minutes with a total training time commitment of approximately 2.5 hours. In another study, a less intense version of HIIT (6–10 cycling bouts of 30 seconds each at 125% of the power at VO2max with 2 minutes recovery) produced a similar improvement in VO2max after 4 weeks of training, as was seen in the more intense SIT group (three to five “all out” 30-second cycling bouts with 4 minutes of recovery). The less intense HIT required only half the intensity but double the repetitions of the SIT, and may be more practical for the nonathlete.

After high-intensity exercise, insulin sensitivity is typically increased, meaning the body may require less insulin to utilize glucose effectively, which could lead to a slight rise in insulin levels during recovery as the body replenishes glycogen stores.

The lower the conditioning level the more insulin is likely to be increased.

The longer the activity level, the more insulin is likely to be secreted after exercise.

If adequate recovery does not occur between intervals there may be a greater elevation in stress hormones.

So either … keep the intensity high and the duration extremely short, or make this a longer session with up to 4 minutes between all-out bursts still with a total time of 20 minutes of interval rounds, adding warm up and cool down making it a 30 minute session.

References:

Adams OP. The impact of brief high-intensity exercise on blood glucose levels. Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes. 2013;6:113-122 https://doi.org/10.2147/DMSO.S29222

Erik A. Richter, Lykke Sylow, Mark Hargreaves; Interactions between insulin and exercise. Biochem J 12 November 2021; 478 (21): 3827–3846. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BCJ20210185

Resources:

Flipping50 Membership:https://www.flippingfifty.com/cafe

Sleep Yourself Skinny:https://www.flippingfifty.com/sleep-yourself-skinny

Protein Products:https://www.flippingfifty.com/protein

Other Episodes You Might Like:

How to Exercise with High or Low Cortisol in Menopause:https://www.flippingfifty.com/getting-wrong-after-40

12 Strength Training Mistakes in Menopause Robbing Your Results:https://www.flippingfifty.com/12-strength-training-mistakes-in-menopause

How to Exercise with High or Low Cortisol in Menopause:https://www.flippingfifty.com/high-or-low-cortisol-in-menopause

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Slow aging is no longer a mystery — it’s rooted in the science of epigenetics. This includes lifestyle, diet, and environment influence your biological age. Understanding biological versus chronological age reveals strategies to live longer and feel younger.

Today’s episode covers tools and insights for changing biological age. If you're ready to slow aging and feel younger fast, this episode is for you.

My Guest:

Hannah Went, a Biology graduate from the University of Kentucky, is passionate about longevity and breakthrough technologies. After researching cell signaling and biology, she saw the potential of methylation-based diagnostics.

She founded TruDiagnostics to focus on life extension and preventive healthcare, serving functional medicine providers. TruDiagnostic has over 30 clinical trials and one of the largest private epigenetic health databases. Hannah also created Everything Epigenetics to share insights on DNA regulation’s impact on health.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• How has the concept of “real age” or biological age evolved from simple quizzes to blood-based testing? 00:05:15
• What is epigenetics? 00:08:35
• What is the difference between epigenetics and genetics? 00:10:45
• What is biological age? 00:15:15
• How can biological age be measured and how accurate is it? 00:19:15
• How quickly can we change biological age? 00:20:55
• What mistakes do women commonly make when investing time, money, and energy to slow aging? 00:27:15
• Can you share any stories of dramatic changes in biological age? 00:30:25

Connect with Hannah:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/epigenetics

On Social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everythingepigenetics/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EverythingEpi

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Ageless Aging: Believe it or Not?: https://www.flippingfifty.com/ageless-aging/

How To Defy Aging Naturally without Needles or Knives: https://www.flippingfifty.com/defy-aging-naturally/

Resources:

VIP Private Coaching: https://www.flippingfifty.com/store/coaching-programs/90-day-private-coaching-5000

Discovery Call with Debra: https://www.flippingfifty.com/wellness-coaching-for-life/

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With the best of intentions but armed only with the knowledge we got from decades ago, from yesterday on YouTube or AI, we could be doing it wrong. Exercises like these many women are getting wrong after 40, can change the trajectory of your aging and not only not be giving desired results but taking time and energy that could be placed somewhere with far better results.

I shared this with our community members months ago because the reactions were significant. So I wanted to expand the reach and perhaps give you a little insight to why you may be not only not getting the results you want but getting the opposite of desired results.

Knee Strengthening Exercises You May be Getting Wrong After 40 What you think is the problem: weak quads

What may really be the problem: weak glutes

Though some amount of knee isolation can be helpful (sharing a resource that won’t hurt and may help you), it’s three things that are often the issue:

• Tight hips
• Weak glutes
• Poor quad: hamstring ratio

To target tight hips: pigeon pose (I do mine on the Power Plate for added benefit)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcPwOm-fF9Y

To target weak glutes: small isolative exercises are your first stop. If you go for squats, deadlifts, lunges or step ups without strong glutes, the wrong muscles will continually be doing the work. You’ll be reinforcing poor movement patterns. Don’t be afraid to back up and do some real “work” even if you can lift heavy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERU-ajYfEQ0

To isolate hamstrings: Try some very small movements, shorter range of motion and lighter weight (potentially just your leg) may be the first thing you do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxKSNP4zxgo

[I’m actually testing something new right now to help isolate hamstrings and improve gait that you may be interested in: .] If you are out of alignment, with rotated hips this may be a game-changer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iQrB5SF-9o&t=1335s

A big issue in strengthening the hamstrings is the hip flexors have a reciprocal activation.

That makes it challenging to improve hamstring strength because the stronger, and tighter, hip flexor will interfere. So though you’re doing a “hamstring exercise” you may not be improving the hamstring strength. That’s what made my experience with Protonics so important. You sit for hours, unless you’ve managed to figure out walking, standing or have a more active job.

Glute Exercises You May be Getting Wrong After 40 This I emphasized previously. The “big exercises” may not be recruiting enough of the right muscles if you haven’t gotten the neural activation optimized.

For our members, the Glute Challenge is inside the Flipping 50 membership and it pairs well with any of our 12-week strength programs, reinforcing results if glutes are a weak link.

Not a member yet? Perfect time to join!! Or you can find Glute Challenge here.

Low Back Exercises You May be Getting Wrong After 40 What you think is the problem: tight low back and weak abs/core

What is really the problem: tight hips and weak glutes and an overburdened lower back because of these.

The hip joint is supposed to be a mobile joint. Most of us are sitting too much, then may be attempting to exercise (yah us!) but not be releasing tight hip flexors and getting optimal strength and stretch in the hip or hamstring. The lower back is more or less a “victim” because any torque created due to lack of glute strength and hip mobility.

Running vs Walking for Exercise You May be Getting Wrong After 40 What we think we should do to get in shape faster: running

What may work better during peri (and post menopause): walking

Calorie for calorie, minute to minute running wins. But it was never about calories burned, it was about what the calories did to your hormones that matters.

Running in the middle zone (zone 3), is where most go wrong. It’s an intensity where, compared to lower movement or high intensity exercise there are few benefits and often more detriments.

If you love running, it feels good, puts joy in your heart, there is a way to include it. But if you think that running wins over walking for optimizing fat weight loss, it’s false.

For women, the biggest roadblocks to weight loss are

• lack of protein and overall calories to support the muscle needed
• too much cortisol worsening anabolic resistance
• long duration “cardio sessions”

High Intensity Workouts You May be Getting Wrong After 40

Going to bootcamp?

Just stop.

Do strength training. Do HIIT cardio sessions. Don’t do them together.

Don’t do them in addition to a full list of the rest of things!! You’re sabotaging your own results.

Coming up you’ll hear about the secret of timing during those HIIT (or SIT) workouts that could make all the difference.

Resources Mentioned:

The Ultimate Glute Challenge:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/store/uncategorized/the-ultimate-glute-challenge

Protonics:

Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iQrB5SF-9o (For Debra’s confirmation)

Get it here: https://www.flippingfifty.com/protonics

for YouTube video… I want to be sure that we insert footage of the protonics demo and knee strengthening stretching, leg extension, me in a plank doing glute exercise, side plank snippets)

AND A QR code with the cover of the Glute Challenge book

Metabolism Makeover 2.0:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/mm2

Other Episodes:

12 Strength Training Mistakes in Menopause Robbing Your Results: https://www.flippingfifty.com/12-strength-training-mistakes-in-menopause

Do You Have a Dominant Side? Joint Pain Solutions I’m Using Right Now: https://www.flippingfifty.com/overcome-gut-issues

Changing Habits for 2025 Health Optimization: https://www.flippingfifty.com/changing-habits

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Just what are your workplace menopause rights?

As a woman in midlife, it’s important to know that menopause matters at work. It’s more than just a health issue; it’s a matter of rights, voice, and empowerment in the workplace.

Know your rights, your voice and your power. Empower yourself with the knowledge of workplace menopause rights!

My Guest:

Jack Tuckner, Esq.

Jack Tuckner, a Women’s Rights in the Workplace attorney and founding partner of Tuckner, Sipser, Weinstock & Sipser, LLP, champions workplace gender equality. With 20+ years of experience, he advocates for women facing discrimination, harassment, and pay disparity, from pregnancy through menopause, earning recognition as a trusted media and community voice.

Catherine Crider, Esq.

Catherine Crider, a California lawyer and certified labor and postpartum doula, combines legal expertise with hands-on support for families. She teaches childbirth and postpartum classes nationwide and writes on women’s health and parenting for outlets like Forbes and Healthline. Previously, she worked as a licensed educator for children and parents.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• What does menopause discrimination in the workplace look like?[00:05:10]
• What steps should you take if you need job accommodations due to your menopause symptoms?[00:22:00]
• What are the similarities and differences with pregnancy discrimination in the workplace?[00:29:00]
• How can employers support women going through menopause? [00:25:32]

There you are, workplace menopause rights. For more information Google the term, too!

Connect with Jack and Catherine:

https://womensrightsny.com/

On Social:

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacktuckner

https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-crider-2b5b3232

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Think You’re Too Old? Ageism Dismantled with Ashton Applewhite:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/ageism-dismantled/

Perimenopause: The Signs Symptoms and Circus:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/circus/

The Real Reason for Migraines and Constipation in Menopause:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/migraines-and-constipation-in-menopause/

Resources:

Flipping 50 Membership:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/cafe

Flipping 50 STRONGER 12-week program:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/getstronger

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Your menopause gut health is about to get a booster shot. This episode is ripe with information about probiotics, digestive enzymes, your immune system, food sensitivities and so much more.

Stay till the end and I’ll share the digestive enzyme I’ve now been using for 3 months.

If you are curious about all the fuss around dairy and gluten and your menopause gut health, this episode will answer some questions! It’s guaranteed to give you some too!

My Guest:

Steven Wright is a Health Engineer, Functional Medicine Expert, and founder of The Healthy Gut Company — which helps get transformational results with gut health solutions. The Healthy Gut products are powerful gut health supplements in the world, helping more than 12,000 customers and more than 1,000 tough cases!

Steven has become a renowned voice in the gut health space, personally creating more than 30 industry-leading educational programs and contributing to over 700 research articles.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• Why are vitamins and minerals for immune health not always delivering the desired outcomes for people looking for support? [00:21:47]
• How can you tell if your immune system is smart enough to keep you healthy?[00:23:25]
• Doesn’t exercise and a low-toxin lifestyle help balance the body and immune system?[00:27:52]
• Who is worse off right now: middle/older adults or younger generations?[00:30:04]
• What are paraprobiotics, and why are they a breakthrough for immune support?[00:34:15]
• How quickly does someone notice a change? Who benefits most from trying it?[00:39:50]

Connect with Steven:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/healthygut

Use this link to enjoy 15% off!

On Social:

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/healthygutco/

TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@healthygutsteven

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Enhancing Gut Health to Enhance Weight Loss & Muscle Strength:https://www.flippingfifty.com/gut-health

Heal Your Gut, Save Your Brain:https://www.flippingfifty.com/save-your-brain

Why Am I Bloated? Is Your Protein Causing Midlife Gut Issues?https://www.flippingfifty.com/why-am-i-bloated

Resources:

Flipping 50 5-Day Flip:https://www.flippingfifty.com/5dayflip Flipping 50’s Metabolism Makeover 2.0:https://www.flippingfifty.com/mm2

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After 50, love relationships take a turn. For women who become more educated and mature their relationship may no longer solve a problem they can’t solve on their own.

My respected guest and Flipping 50 returning favorite on love relationships, Dr. John Gray.

My Guest:

John Gray, author of Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus, wrote the iconic relationship book, a global bestseller translated into 45 languages. With 20+ books, including Beyond Mars and Venus, he transforms how men and women view relationships, blending communication skills and nutrition for lasting health and romance. Featured on Oprah and other major media, he shares insights through books, blogs, and workshops. More about John here.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• Can you address how relationships impact anti-aging? [00:10:20]
• Does a relationship need to follow a traditional model (same household, romantic), or can male friendships also provide value? [00:10:45]
• You mention romance for hormone stimulation—would “hormone optimization” be a better term?[00:40:37]
• Are romance and love relationships the ultimate biohack?[00:25:05]
• How does romance or relationships optimize hormones? [00:41:15}
• How is the stress response related to a woman’s relationships? [00:13:51]
• Why is this more significant for women than men as they age? [0013:35]
• A recent Joe Dispenza video discussed single women who don’t rely on dopamine or oxytocin from relationships may experience fewer emotional highs and lows and find other ways to create stability. How does this perspective align with your views? [00:36:48]

Connect with John:https://www.marsvenus.com/

On Social:

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/Mars.Venus.John.Gray

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/johngraymarsvenus_official/

Twitter:https://x.com/marsvenus

Other Episodes You Might Like:

You Ask Libido and Hormone Balance Qs: Dr John Gray Answers:https://www.flippingfifty.com/libido-and-hormone-balance/

Create Natural Hormone Boosts with Dr. John Gray | MarsVenus:https://www.flippingfifty.com/natural-hormone-boosts/

Resources:

5 Day Flip:https://www.flippingfifty.com/5-day-challenge-new/

Protein Products:https://www.flippingfifty.com/protein

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Most commonly the challenge is gaining lean muscle. Doing all the things but can’t seem to gain muscle? Then tune in and go through this like a check list of 12 strength training mistakes in menopause that could be the reason.

It just takes one. But if there are multiple, it’s compounded and in this case, not interest but penalty!

Join us at Metabolism Makeover 2.0 to support your journey avoiding the 12 strength training mistakes in menopause.

1. Overworking Small Muscle Groups [00:02:20]

You need fewer of these small muscle group-focused exercises in your routine if you prioritize the major muscles like chest (pectoralis) and back (trapezius and Latissimus Dorsi). If the secondary (biceps and triceps) muscles are going to get a workout most of the time, these will rob you of time and energy that is better spent on major muscles if you aren’t getting in the adequate volume there.

1. Skipping the Warmup [00:06:40]

Nearly a decade ago, I began sharing the fact that if you skip the warmup, you also miss an opportunity to increase total energy expenditure during a workout. It’s not only about injury prevention. There’s an increased blood circulation, improved energy expenditure, mobility and you can work closer to your capacity. If fitness and longevity are truly goals, “exercising” is not the same as working at your capacity and safely, sanely raising the roof on your fitness level so that age doesn’t automatically result in slowing down or gaining weight.

1. Not Resting Between Sets Long Enough Before [00:13:10]

Rapidly moving from one exercise to the next, was yesterday. The “metabolic conditioning workouts” are a nice anomaly, a change in pace.

Rest between sets of strength training. Reach complete muscle fatigue or within 2 reps of it. If you do HIIT, separate the sessions so you get the best benefit from it and from strength. If you are not getting stronger, not increasing muscle, and these are your goals (in order, perhaps to improve body fat % ultimately), it’s a “how” you’re doing it problem.

Plan Your Routine to Avoid 12 Strength Training Mistakes in Menopause 1. No Organized Plan [00:17:30]

You either default to using what’s available at the gym or doing the same exercises in the same sequence every time. If you’re not careful you won’t change the stimulus (by changing the sequence and sets/rep combination) and may also not be getting enough sets per muscle group in each week.

It doesn’t mean that all sets for a muscle group must be all the same exercise. A super set of 6 different exercises for the triceps works. The next workout you may just do 3 and you’re still covered… if you planned it that way.

1. Not Sleeping Enough or Not Changing the Workout When You Don’t Sleep [00:20:50]

The sleep you get will determine the benefit you get from exercise. If you don’t prioritize, your workouts will suffer too. You’re also at risk for injury, not only because your body isn’t fully doing the repair job or releasing testosterone and growth hormone in deep cycles of sleep as it should, but because coordination suffers.

1. Treating Soreness or Worn Out an Indication of “Good Workout” [00:22:40]

When you work muscles, it’s normal to feel sore, even if you’re extremely fit. Some muscles like quads and glutes are used to a lot of activity and tend to get sore less often.

But there are two genes associated with soreness and you may either be predisposed to be sore or not. It’s not a good indication of whether you worked hard enough. If you reached muscle fatigue or came close, you gave the muscle enough stimulus.

The first sign of poor recovery was soreness after workouts, the second was reduced performance during workouts.

12 Strength Training Mistakes in Menopause to Avoid and Nurture Your Body 1. Dependence on Supplements and Negating Balanced Whole Food Meals. [00:27:00]

If you’re all too willing to jump to EAAs, or BCAAs but won’t eat regular meals that result in satiety, chances are your lack of micro and macronutrients will catch up with you. “Food first”, then allow supplements to take you the rest of the way.

I don’t like to “count” calories on a regular basis but a snapshot is very helpful for checking in. Often for knowing when you’re eating too little.

1. Taking Too Much Advice (or Too Little From Too Many People) [00:30:20]

It often takes even gurus a while to come around.

You have to love Vonda Wright and Mary Haver sharing their own menopause journeys. We need more women like them. They’re open about not knowing what they didn’t know about menopause, as physicians and women.

You have at your fingertips access to women who learned the hard way, so you don’t have to. Just don’t jump in the middle. You need an onramp.

1. Ignoring Nutrition Needs. [00:32:30]

The talk is “calorie deficit.” Yet, 80% of women in our community under-eat for their mere existence (resting metabolic rate) and then try to put their foot on the accelerator for exercise causing a bigger caloric deficit. Then they stay there for years, under-fed and under-fueled (processed food, diet food), the metabolism will come to a halt, along, potentially with adrenal and thyroid function.

Figure your calorie needs. Use an app to track your actual intake for 3-5 days.

12 Strength Training Mistakes in Menopause That Hinder Your Progress 1. Thinking Small, Skinny, or Numbers That Don’t Matter Instead of That Do [00:36:20]

Your size and your weight on the scale do not tell the story of your fitness and health. Though they might hint at your likelihood of sarcopenia and osteoporosis, fall and fracture risk.

When women focus on weight or size they sacrifice muscle. When they lose muscle, they lose strength, longevity and independence. A woman who has her ideal weight or size is constantly thinking about it and a step away from a fall or fracture. A fracture that results in bedrest, weakness and loss of more muscle. The beginning of the end. Those falls are not devastating just because of the breaks, but because of brain bleeds or other internal damage.

1. Too Heavy to Start [00:38:20]

The first 6-8 weeks, and up to 12, of a resistance training program, the benefits are due to the neural connection. That isn’t rushed by going heavy.

But loads too great for your ligaments, tendons and joints or muscles can cause weakness, undue soreness, and a weak foundation leading to injury.

We, in the fitness industry, need to be more careful. We have sometimes lost our way in regard to where to START, and how and at what pace to PROGRESS.

1. You Add Something But Don’t Remove Something Else [00:40:30]

I’ve experienced this temptation myself. When I started training for triathlons at 40, I was compelled to figure out how to run even while I was adding biking or swimming to my schedule.

I soon realized I was sabotaging the quality of every workout and just putting those “junk miles.” A woman will lose muscle because of the added stress, inability to recover.

That’s an extreme example, but if you’re adding and never subtracting/replacing, you’re probably going to experience similar results.

References for the 12 Strength Training Mistakes in Menopause: For dropping in the references.. Ideally just the single line link.. Vs long for the podcasts and posts - however if the research is really: within last 10 years, features female subjects.. Then it should be added to the research document. Nothing else should ever be used in our content.

#1 Cheng AJ, Jude B, Lanner JT. Intramuscular mechanisms of overtraining. Redox Biol. 2020 Aug;35:101480. doi: 10.1016/j.redox.2020.101480. Epub 2020 Feb 26. PMID: 32179050; PMCID: PMC7284919.

#2 Afonso J, Brito J, Abade E, Rendeiro-Pinho G, Baptista I, Figueiredo P, Nakamura FY. Revisiting the 'Whys' and 'Hows' of the Warm-Up: Are We Asking the Right Questions? Sports Med. 2024 Jan;54(1):23-30. doi: 10.1007/s40279-023-01908-y. Epub 2023 Sep 2. PMID: 37658965; PMCID: PMC10798919.

#3 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19691365/#:~:text=Conversely%2C some experiments%20have%20a demonstrated,be%20safer%20and%20more%20reliable

#4 Hughes SL, Seymour RB, Campbell RT, Whitelaw N, Bazzarre T. Best-practice physical activity programs for older adults: findings from the national impact study. Am J Public Health. 2009 Feb;99(2):362-8. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2007.131466. Epub 2008 Dec 4. PMID: 19059858; PMCID: PMC2622796

#4 Brickwood KJ, Ahuja KDK, Watson G, O'Brien JA, Williams AD. Effects of Activity Tracker Use With Health Professional Support or Telephone Counseling on Maintenance of Physical Activity and Health Outcomes in Older Adults: Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2021 Jan 5;9(1):e18686. doi: 10.2196/18686. PMID: 33399541; PMCID: PMC7815450.

#5 https://www.somnologymd.com/2024/09/sleep-womens-health/

#6 Romero-Parra N, Maestre-Cascales C, Marín-Jiménez N, Rael B, Alfaro-Magallanes VM, Cupeiro R, Peinado AB. Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage in Postmenopausal Well-Trained Women. Sports Health. 2021 Nov-Dec;13(6):613-621. doi: 10.1177/19417381211014134. Epub 2021 May 27. PMID: 34039086; PMCID: PMC8558998.

#6 https://sheffieldphysiotherapy.co.uk/muscle-soreness-mean-youve-effective-workout/

#7 & #9 Erdélyi A, Pálfi E, Tűű L, Nas K, Szűcs Z, Török M, Jakab A, Várbíró S. The Importance of Nutrition in Menopause and Perimenopause-A Review. Nutrients. 2023 Dec 21;16(1):27. doi: 10.3390/nu16010027. PMID: 38201856; PMCID: PMC10780928.

#7 Lentjes MAH. The balance between food and dietary supplements in the general population. Proc Nutr Soc. 2019 Feb;78(1):97-109. doi: 10.1017/S0029665118002525. Epub 2018 Oct 30. PMID: 30375305; PMCID: PMC6366563

#10 Martinez, B.P., Batista, A.K.M.S., Gomes, I.B. et al. Frequency of sarcopenia and associated factors among hospitalized elderly patients. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 16, 108 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-015-0570-x

#10 Sakuma, Kunihiro, Yamaguchi, Akihiko, Sarcopenic Obesity and Endocrinal Adaptation with Age, International Journal of Endocrinology, 2013, 204164, 12 pages, 2013. https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/204164

#11 Kraemer WJ, Ratamess NA. Fundamentals of resistance training: progression and exercise prescription. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2004 Apr;36(4):674-88. doi: 10.1249/01.mss.0000121945.36635.61. PMID: 15064596

#12 Caplin A, Chen FS, Beauchamp MR, Puterman E. The effects of exercise intensity on the cortisol response to a subsequent acute psychosocial stressor. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2021 Sep;131:105336. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105336. Epub 2021 Jun 18. PMID: 34175558.

#12 Woods NF, Mitchell ES, Smith-Dijulio K. Cortisol levels during the menopausal transition and early postmenopause: observations from the Seattle Midlife Women's Health Study. Menopause. 2009 Jul-Aug;16(4):708-18. doi: 10.1097/gme.0b013e318198d6b2. PMID: 19322116; PMCID: PMC2749064. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2749064/#:~:text=Early laboratory studies of hot,in our earlier report5.

Resources:

5 Day Flip: https://www.flippingfifty.com/5-day-challenge-new/

Lunges: Love 'em or Leave 'em https://www.flippingfifty.com/lunges-muscles-squats-variations-benefits

Protein Products: https://www.flippingfifty.com/protein

Other Episodes You Might Like:

How to Exercise with High or Low Cortisol in Menopause: https://www.flippingfifty.com/high-or-low-cortisol-in-menopause

8 Strength Training Mistakes Wasting Your Time (fix them): https://www.flippingfifty.com/8-strength-training-mistakes

Fit or Fat? Training and Measuring Fitness in Menopause: https://www.flippingfifty.com/measuring-fitness-in-menopause

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In this special episode, you get to join me in a doctor’s appointment and lm tell you… what you don’t know about hormone tests could be the difference in feeling 10x better and aging better too!

If you don’t know about hormone tests that there are not only different test, but different ways to interpret them from norms to optimal….if you don’t know that some doctors don’t know all test and couldn’t order them if they did because they don’t know how to interpret them… then you’re in for a treat…. And education!

My Guest:

Dr. Sharon Stills is a Naturopathic Medical Doctor providing comprehensive health care, therapeutic and diagnostic services to patients worldwide. She combines her conventional medical training, data-driven science, cutting-edge diagnostic tools and a deep knowledge of natural healing to effectively identify and treat health concerns ranging from allergies to end stage cancer, and everything in between

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• Why do a Wet Urine Test? [00:02:18]
• What are Metabolites? Why do they matter when it comes to your hormones? [00:04:35]
• How does Estrogen impact your body and what can you do to keep them in balance? [00:04:41]
• Why is Testosterone important to women? How can you support healthy levels? [00:27:01]
• What does DHEA do and how can you optimize it? [00:29:17]
• How can you accurately Cortisol? What does it mean for your stress levels? [00:37:01]
• How can you boost Oxytocin naturally? [00:38:37]
• How does Thyroid affect your metabolism, energy, and mood? What can you do to balance it? [00:43:17]

Connect with Dr. Sharon: https://www.flippingfifty.com/drsharon

On Social:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsharonstills/

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Circadian Rhythm Hacks for Muscle in Menopause: https://www.flippingfifty.com/Circadian-Rhythm-Hacks

Can I Still Start Hormones 10 Years After Menopause? Doctors Respond: https://www.flippingfifty.com/start-hormones-10-years-after-menopause

Which Hormones Matter Most in Meno(pause): https://www.flippingfifty.com/which-hormones

Resources:

5-Day Flip: https://www.flippingfifty.com/5dayflip

Sleep Yourself Skinny: https://www.flippingfifty.com/sleep-yourself-skinny

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Can you improve your eyesight and protect your vision in midlife? Vision health goes far beyond eyesight and the ability to see the golf ball or the small print on the supplement bottle.

Aging doesn’t mean dimming sight; it’s possible to preserve and improve vision with the right knowledge and tools. Did you know you can slow the aging effects on your eyes? Stay tuned to learn how to protect your vision in midlife!

My Guest:

Dr. Bryce Appelbaum is a pioneer in neuro-optometry passionate about unlocking life’s potential through vision. His expertise includes reorganizing the visual brain post-concussion to return to learn and return to life, remediating visual developmental delays interfering with reading and learning, and enhancing visual skills to elevate sports performance. You may have seen him on the podcast circuit as a recent guest on MindBodyGreen, Chris Kresser’s Revolution Health Radio, and Cynthia Thurlow's Everyday Wellness.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• What is the difference between eyesight and vision? [00:04:15] - What do women in midlife need to know about their vision? [00:07:15] - What are the key things you should be doing if you want to maintain your vision as you age? [00:11:55] - Is it possible to reverse the effects of aging on your vision? [00:13:05] - What is the screen pandemic and how is it contributing towards the global decline in vision? [00:26:05]

Connect with Dr. Bryce:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/screenfit

Enjoy $200 discount when using this link

On Social:

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/myvisionfirstoptometry

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/drbryceappelbaum/

Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/@visionfirstwithdrb

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Ditch Your Glasses or Contacts? Naturally Clear Vision:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/clear-vision/

Healthy Eyes and Vision Tips for Women in Menopause:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/eyespy/

Resources:

Flipping 50 Membership:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/cafe

Flipping 50 STRONGER 12-week program:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/getstronger

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With either high or low cortisol in menopause, the way you exercise has to change. Yet, this is a gap in fitness education for trainers, instructors and coaches who don’t get training specific to women in menopause.

So, whether you’re here for yourself or here as a coach or trainer who does now or wants to coach women in midlife and beyond, this episode is for you.

In this episode, I talk about the impact of exercise intensity on cortisol and how cortisol is used for the energy to do exercise, cortisol changes that occur in menopause, and what’s really wrong with the way we can interpret the signs of high or low cortisol… all so you can avoid making mistakes that might make you worse, or prevent you from ever having an issue in the first place.

Questions We Cover in This Episode:

• Why are high or low cortisol in menopause so prevalent? [00:04:00]
• What’s the difference between someone “apparently healthy” and high or low cortisol? [00:04:30]
• How would you test to know? [00:11:30]
• Without testing what does abnormal cortisol feel like? [00:13:50]
• How does exercise impact cortisol levels? [00:16:30]
• What mistakes do women (and trainers & coaches) make with exercise recommendations? [00:28:10]

Looking at Exercise Science for High or Low Cortisol in Menopause Low-intensity exercise may decrease cortisol levels or keep them steady.

Prolonged activity, however, can cause cortisol to rise.

Moderate to high-intensity exercise increases cortisol. Prolonged “aerobic” exercise at higher intensities can significantly elevate cortisol concentrations. At about 45 minutes, to less than an hour, cortisol begins to rise significantly above resting levels and then not have the corresponding fall that is beneficial for us.

This elevated cortisol response can occur even with exercises you’ve done for years. With declining estrogen, life itself becomes more stressful. For women engaging in long endurance activities without proper fuel, recovery, or adjustments, results may stall—or even backfire..

This doesn’t mean giving up long runs or rides forever but prioritizing muscle, bone, and brain health temporarily.

Why

Elevated cortisol is indicative of muscle catabolism, increasing the loss of lean muscle tissue. This is a significant health concern for the growing elderly population. The rate of cortisol production changes as we age and has differing responses to exercise intensities in males and females.

Cortisol production is correlated with exercise intensity and duration but does not increase the same across all exercise intensities. Higher exercise intensities and duration appear to be the main contributing factors that influence the production of cortisol, increasing the potential for muscle catabolism and muscle loss.

The longer the duration, or the higher the intensity, and certainly both combined, the greater the increase in cortisol. Other factors like heat, humidity, intake of carbohydrate and hydration can impact cortisol levels. Last, of course the higher the conditioning level you have the less of a stress response (cortisol rise) you’re going to have to the same level of duration or intensity in a deconditioned level.

That is, the stress response will occur sooner for the deconditioned than later.

Low Cortisol Solutions When Dealing with High or Low Cortisol in Menopause With low cortisol levels (adrenal stress), overtraining is the biggest risk. Small exercise snacks, lower intensity exercise is the first step. Gradually adding in resistance training in short sessions to support blood sugar stabilization is the goal. Monitor to be sure you don’t go backward.

Keep in mind cortisol and adrenaline are needed to support intense exercise. Your body doesn’t currently have it, so high intensity workouts like intervals and metabolic conditioning (bootcamp style) are not favorable for you. You won’t benefit from them right now.

Low intensity and low volume resistance training would mean lower rep ranges and higher number of sets (3-5) with a few compound exercises. You’re going to skip old school advice for 8-10 exercises for each muscle group.

High Cortisol Solutions when Dealing with High or Low Cortisol in Menopause Short interval sessions or metabolic conditioning can be effective, but be mindful to keep them short. Start with 1 session and add a second only if it’s improving, not draining your energy. These sessions may help reduce cortisol, but going too long, even if it feels good, can backfire. Neurotransmitters may push you to continue, but elevated cortisol and adrenal fatigue will eventually catch up.

High cortisol breaks down muscle, so strength training is essential. Use heavier weights and increase your rest time (by using balance exercises, stretches or core) to make the most of your time.

The HPA-Axis issue, that is adrenal fatigue, needs time away from longer duration and high intensity workouts to allow the brain and adrenals to start communicating effectively again. It doesn’t have to be permanent.

Train earlier in the day, balancing sleep and exercise, especially if work adds stress. Overworking, lack of movement, or poor stress management may have contributed to current challenges. Use weekends wisely – skip long workouts and focus on a solid strength session one day and yoga or walking the next. Prioritize earlier sessions that don’t require an alarm clock for optimal recovery and hormonal balance.

Signs You’re Recovering from High or Low Cortisol in Menopause Check Your Appetite: You should have one, but not cravings especially, soon after meals. Appetite can be sluggish with low cortisol and either high or low with high cortisol.

Your Energy level: Should be stable throughout the day. For low energy getting up, maca can be a natural support for your own system to self-regulate. It’s an herb most women can take, however check if you have had breast cancer, there are some contraindications and a medical advisory board you can check with. I found this super helpful and within a week of taking this felt better back in early 2020.

Sleep Should Improve: Whether you struggle to fall asleep, stay asleep or simply are not waking rested, this should begin to improve. (That is, if you’re doing your job to prioritize sleep).

Other Episodes You Might Like:

A Hormone Therapy Roadmap: What, When & Why:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/hormone-therapy-roadmapCortisol Hormone: Don’t let it derail your fat loss efforts:https://www.flippingfifty.com/cortisol-hormoneTurn Midlife Stress into Strength | Victim to Victorious Author:https://www.flippingfifty.com/midlife-stress

Resources:

Mighty Maca:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/mightymaca

Sleep Yourself Skinny:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/sleep-yourself-skinny-tonight

Flipping 50 Menopause Fitness Specialist®:

https://fitnessmarketingacademy.com/

5 Day Flip:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/5-day-challenge-new/

References :

Hackney AC, Walz EA. Hormonal adaptation and the stress of exercise training: the role of glucocorticoids. Trends Sport Sci. 2013;20(4):165-171. PMID: 29882537; PMCID: PMC5988244.

The Effects of Different Exercise Intensities and Modalities on Cortisol Production in Healthy Individuals: A Review. (2021). Journal of Exercise and Nutrition, 4(4). https://doi.org/10.53520/jen2021.103108

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Know the daily rituals that regulate your nervous system to calm inflammation and slow the effects of aging!

My Guest:

Dr. Monisha Bhanote, MD, ABOIM, FCAP, ACCM, is a quintuple board-certified physician and founder of WELLKULÅ. She blends ancient wisdom with mind-body medicine, advocating for #CellCare as self-care. As an international speaker, best-selling author, and wellness expert, she educates on cellular health and nervous system regulation.

Dr. Bhanote’s expertise in longevity, Ayurveda, plant-based nutrition, mindfulness, and digestive health shapes her Longevity Retreats and best-selling book, The Anatomy of Wellbeing, which offers practices to embrace your body’s unique design and revitalize your health at the cellular level.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• What is the importance of the 'gut-brain connection' for women? [00:07:05]
• How does nervous system dysregulation impact gut health, vitality and longevity? [00:10:45]
• What is the 'gut-skin axis,' and how does gut health and nervous system balance influence skin’s appearance and inner beauty?[00:14:22]
• How do chronic stress and nervous imbalances accelerate aging, and what strategies support longevity?[00:14:58]
• How does stress contribute to inflammation and how can we manage it?[00:15:28]
• What daily rituals regulate the nervous system, improve gut health, and promote internal beauty and vitality?[00:31:13]

Connect with Dr. Monisha:https://www.drbhanote.com/

On Social:

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/drbhanote

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/drbhanote/

YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@drbhanote

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Reverse Biological Age with Dr. Olga Stevko’s Methodology:https://www.flippingfifty.com/reverse-biological-age/

Midlife Gut Solutions from Bloat to Colitis and Crohn’s:https://www.flippingfifty.com/gut-solutions/

That Gut Feeling is Real How Gut Impacts Mood:https://www.flippingfifty.com/that-gut-feeling/

Resources:

Flipping 50 Membership:https://www.flippingfifty.com/cafe

Flipping 50 STRONGER 12-week program:https://www.flippingfifty.com/getstronger

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Pay attention! If you’re hearing “lift heavy” shouted from the roof tops and feel the fear of injury or simply inability to comply…. THIS IS YOUR EPISODE!

Consider your midlife strength training myths busted. Strength training should be non-negotiable for midlife women, yet still believe in long-existing myths related to them.

By the end of this episode, you will identify and consider any current midlife strength training myths busted!

My Guest:

Jennifer Kirsch is a personal trainer and nutrition coach specializing in helping women 50+ build strength, confidence, and consistency through simple, effective workouts. With nearly 30 years of experience, she’s passionate about empowering women to feel their best at every stage of life.

When did doctors all of a sudden become experts in menopause exercise?

-Jennifer Kirsch

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• What are the most common misconceptions about strength training for midlife women, and why do they persist? [00:10:00]
• Why is strength training essential for women in their 50s and beyond, especially for mobility, flexibility, and quality of life? [00:22:30]
• How do moderate rep ranges benefit women in menopause, and how does this differ from other fitness advice? [00:24:30]
• What advice would you give to women who feel overwhelmed or intimidated by starting strength training later in life? [00:31:50]
• How can women overcome challenges like time, limited equipment, or lack of experience? [00:33:30]
• What’s one simple action to start building strength, mobility, and balance today? [00:35:50]

“It is most definitely the Menopause Gold Rush.”

Connect with Jennifer: https://www.jenniferkirschfitness.com/

On Social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferkirschfitness/

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Timetable for Strength Training Benefits in Menopause: https://www.flippingfifty.com/strength-training-benefits/

Fit or Fat? Training and Measuring Fitness in Menopause: https://www.flippingfifty.com/measuring-fitness-in-menopause/

Muscle Makeover: Why Resistance Training is Essential in Menopause: https://www.flippingfifty.com/resistance-training-is-essential-in-menopause/

Resources:

Flipping 50 Membership: https://www.flippingfifty.com/cafe

Flipping 50 STRONGER 12-week program: https://www.flippingfifty.com/getstronger

Discovery Call with Debra: https://www.flippingfifty.com/wellness-coaching-for-life/

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Tune in to this episode as we redefine core strength. It's time to break the silence and take charge. Pelvic Floor Fitness After 40 is a game-changer.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• What is the pelvic floor, and why is it essential for overall health, especially as we age?
• What is the Cooch Ball, and how does it differ from traditional pelvic floor exercises?
• What are common myths about pelvic floor health you'd like to debunk?
• How does pelvic floor fitness relate to core strength, and why is this connection important?
• Are pelvic floor issues inevitable with age? What can women do to prevent or address them?
• How does mindset impact pelvic floor health, and what mental shifts can improve pelvic fitness?
• What simple exercises or habits can listeners use to maintain or improve pelvic floor health?
• How can improved pelvic floor fitness enhance confidence, intimacy, and overall well-being?

Connect with Jana:

On Social:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1711662052544025

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jana.danielson/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jana.danielson

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Jana.Danielson

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Pelvic Floor Health in Menopause and Exercise: https://www.flippingfifty.com/pelvic-floor-health-in-menopause/

How to Make (Sex and) Exercise More Effective: Pelvic Floor: https://www.flippingfifty.com/pelvic-floor-tips/

Your Pelvic Floor: Prolapse and Incontinence: https://www.flippingfifty.com/your-pelvic-floor/

Resources:

Exercise Planning Guide Freebie: https://www.flippingfifty.com/exercise-planning/

5 Day Flip: https://www.flippingfifty.com/5-day-challenge-new/

Total Fitness Formula For Women – Online Course (Fit Pros Coaching): https://www.flippingfifty.com/store/coaching-programs/total-fitness-formula-for-women-course-fit-pros-coaching/

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To overcome gut issues in midlife, start with understanding how your gut health impacts every part of your well-being. Conditions like SIBO, or Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth, can feel overwhelming, but they don’t have to define your quality of life.

If you’ve ever wondered how to overcome gut issues and feel your best, this episode holds the answers.

My Guest:

Shivan Sarna is the author of the Amazon Bestseller Healing SIBO, a TV host, and the creator of the SIBO SOS® Summits and Community, the Digestion SOS™ documentary series, the Gut & Microbiome Rescue Summit, the Liver and Gallbladder Rescue Summit, the Lymphatic Rescue Summit, the Dental Health Connection Summit, the Fascia and Chronic Pain Rescue Summit, and Chronic Condition Research.

After a lifetime of struggling with health issues, Shivan made it her mission to share information with others who are struggling. Her personal mantra is “SOS: Save Our Selves.” And that's what she has helped thousands of people do!

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• Tell me about your health journey and what brought you to where you are today. [00:04:46]
• What exactly is SIBO and why is it important to recognize, diagnose correctly and treat correctly? [00:10:14]
• What are some of the root causes of SIBO and how do you address this? [00:24:28]
• What suggestions do you have to help people’s mindsets overcome chronic conditions? [00:30:07]

Connect withShivan:

https://sibosos.com/

Join the Summit:

https://flippingfifty.com/newscience

On Social:

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/SIBOSOSVirtualSummit

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/sibo_sos/

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Personalized Gut Health: Resolve Menopause Gut Issues: https://www.flippingfifty.com/gut-issues/

Lose Weight, Gain Energy and Eliminate Pain with a Gut Cleanse: Dr Vincent M. Pedre:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/lose-weight-gain-energy-and-eliminate-pain-with-a-gut-cleanse-dr-vincent-m-pedre/

Resources:

Flipping 50 Membership:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/cafe

Flipping 50 STRONGER 12-week program:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/getstronger

Events or Affiliate partnership we're promoting in this episode:

Menopause summit - Will provide affiliate URL directly.

(Message from Shivan)

Resources:

Our Bodies Ourselves (book)

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Are you drinking coffee and wondering if coffee is good or bad for midlife?

Coffee drinkers, pay attention. In this episode, America’s happy gut doctor shares the pros and cons of coffee. Know the benefits without sabotaging your gut health or adrenals.

Do not miss this to know if coffee is good or bad for midlife?

My Guest:

Dr. Vincent Pedre, Medical Director of Pedre Integrative Health, Founder of Dr. Pedre Wellness, and CEO of Happy Gut Life. He is a Functional Medicine-Certified Practitioner with a NYC-based concierge practice and bestselling author of two gut-health books. His latest, The GutSMART Protocol, includes a 14-day personalized gut-healing plan. His newest offering, Happy Gut Coffee, is a clean, toxin-free coffee that you can trust to keep your gut happy.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• Is coffee good or bad for the midlife woman’s gut? What are the pros and cons? 00:08:35
• What are microplastics, and how do they enter the human body, particularly the gut? 00:10:45
• How do you prefer your coffee? What’s your prep? 00:12:05
• How do you doctor your coffee up? 00:17:25
• What is the difference between caffeinated vs decaf coffee? 00:27:45
• How much coffee does it take to get benefits vs how much is too much? 00:34:05

Connect with Dr. Vincent:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/happygutcoffee

On Social:

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/DrVincentPedre/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/drpedre/

LinkedIN:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincent-pedre-m-d-3319405b/

TikTok:

https://www.tiktok.com/@drpedre

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Lose Weight, Gain Energy and Eliminate Pain with a Gut Cleanse: Dr Vincent M. Pedre: https://www.flippingfifty.com/lose-weight-gain-energy-and-eliminate-pain-with-a-gut-cleanse-dr-vincent-m-pedre/

Personalized Gut Health: Resolve Menopause Gut Issues: https://www.flippingfifty.com/gut-issues/

Midlife Gut Solutions from Bloat to Colitis and Crohn’s: https://www.flippingfifty.com/gut-solutions/

Resources:

Debra’s Favorite Matcha: https://www.flippingfifty.com/piquetea

Debra’s Favorite CGM: https://www.flippingfifty.com/myglucose

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If you do a single search for your knee or hip pain, you’ll be served dozens of joint pain solutions in your social media and Google searches. Are they any good? I’m smiling to think of my step dad who after retirement took it upon himself to order things he’d see on TV or find strolling through Osco. Similarly, you can start looking on Amazon and wala, here come a dizzying array of joint pain solutions for you.

I’ve been sent or gifted no less than 3 in the last two months. The odds or Gods are with me: two out of three are working amazingly well. This is the first of episodes sharing them because I know that the science behind them working is something you need to hear.

This first new tool I’ve been using is revolutionizing the way people move, recover, and perform. It isn't just about temporary pain relief; it’s about restoring alignment and enhancing strength for a long term change in the way movement feels.

Today, we’ll explore how this innovative approach works and how it’s transforming lives. Today we discover the power of Protonics for biomechanical balance!

My Guest:

Frank Joutras is Founder and President of Protonics G3 Sport LLC, and is the leader for the Protonics G3 Development Project. Frank who is co-inventor of the Protonics system with Physical Therapist, Ron Hruska, holds several patents on exoskeleton and robotics design. Frank, has over 30 years of technical and development experience in biomechanics, exoskeletons, fitness equipment, virtual environments and robotic system, and holds several patents in this area, including patents held by Facebook, Inc.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• How does Protonics help improve overall fitness and health?
• What is unique about Protonics?
• It looks like a knee brace; explain why it is not a knee brace or acts like one?
• Why is the system only put on the left leg?
• Talk about Protonics now being available without a prescription and your new market through influencers.
• Discuss some of the world-renowned clinicians and fitness trainers involved with Protonics.
• What research has been done in the past?

You heard it here first. You are not balanced.

Connect with Frank & Try Protonics:https://www.flippingfifty.com/protonics Use this link when availing Protonics to get $100 off and a 30-Day money back guarantee

On Social: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/15Wyx5BBfF/?mibextid=LQQJ4d Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/protonicsg3/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@protonicsg3/

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Community Member SpotLight: Rotator Cuff Injury Solutions: https://www.flippingfifty.com/rotator-cuff-injury

The Chronic Pain Solution for Complete Resolution: https://www.flippingfifty.com/chronic-pain-solution

Resources:

Menopause Makeover 2.0:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/mm2

Flipping 50 STRONGER 12-week program: https://www.flippingfifty.com/getstronger

Discovery Call with Debra: https://www.flippingfifty.com/wellness-coaching-for-life/

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What if we could give you Circadian Rhythm hacks to improve your sleep ang energy throughout the day? Tune in to this episode to know what are these Circadian Rhythm hacks I’m talking about.

Definition of Circadian Rhythm:

Circadian rhythm is your body’s internal clock, a 24-hour cycle, regulating your sleep-wake patterns, hormone levels, and other vital bodily functions.

What can affect your circadian rhythm? * Light exposure * Food intake. * Stress. * Physical activity. * Temperature. * Travel * Sleep habits, including overnight or off-hour work shifts * Health conditions, including medications

So it makes sense we can create circadian rhythm hacks or havoc during menopause that will … accelerate aging or reverse it.

Overview of Menopause and Circadian Disruption:

Menopause can disrupt circadian rhythms due to hormonal fluctuations, leading to sleep disturbances and metabolic changes.

Circadian Rhythm: The Body's Internal Clock * Mechanisms of Circadian Rhythm: Regulated by the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in the hypothalamus, circadian rhythms synchronize with environmental cues * Impact of Menopause on Circadian Rhythm: Hormonal changes can alter sleep patterns and circadian timing, affecting overall health.

Sleep and Menopause: The Gap * Sleep Challenges During Menopause: Insomnia, night sweats, and frequent awakenings, often due to hormonal fluctuations. * Consequences of Poor Sleep: Disrupted sleep can elevate cortisol levels, impair glucose metabolism, and increase fat storage. * Strategies for Optimizing Sleep: + Consistent Sleep Schedule: Maintaining regular sleep and wake times + Evening Routines: Limiting blue light exposure and engaging in calming activities before bed + Nutritional Considerations: Consuming a balanced diet and avoiding stimulants close to bedtime

Circadian Rhythm Hacks: Resetting Your Body

To reset your circadian rhythm, your body needs to follow a healthy 24-hour schedule. Use the following tips to stay on track:

• Stick to a daily routine.
• Get morning light.
• Stay active with daily physical activity.
• Create a sleep sanctuary.
• Avoid evening stimulants.
• Limit your screen time.
• Skip late naps.

Exercise and Hormone Balance: Syncing with Your Rhythm * Timing of Exercise: + Morning vs. Evening Workouts: The timing of exercise can influence circadian rhythms and sleep quality. + Hormonal Effects of Exercise: Workouts affect cortisol, melatonin, and body temperature, playing a role in circadian regulation and sleep quality. + Evening and High-Intensity Exercise: This does not have a significant negative effect on sleep quality but physiological circadian rhythm tends to alter. + Long-Term Morning Exercise: This decreases cortisol concentrations after awakening and improves sleep quality. + Overtraining: A long-term longitudinal study reported significantly higher morning cortisol levels and reduced sleep quality after overtraining in the postseason compared to the preseason in female soccer players * Impact of Exercise on Cortisol and Circadian Rhythm: + Cortisol Response: Exercise induced cortisol release, varying based on intensity and timing. + Circadian Alignment: Regular physical activity regulates circadian rhythms, improving sleep and metabolic health. * Recommendations: + Morning Exercise: Moderate-intensity workouts in the morning may enhance alertness and align with natural cortisol peaks. + Evening Exercise: Low-intensity activities like yoga in the evening can promote relaxation without disrupting sleep.

Nutrition: Eating with the Clock * Meal Timing and Circadian Rhythm: + Impact on Metabolism: Aligning meal times with circadian rhythms can improve glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity. + Evening Eating: Consuming large meals late in the evening may disrupt sleep and circadian alignment. * Nutritional Strategies for Hormone Balance: + Balanced Diet: Incorporate lean proteins, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates to support hormonal health. + Specific Nutrients: Ensure adequate intake of magnesium and omega-3 fatty acids, which play roles in sleep regulation and inflammation reduction.

Lifestyle Circadian Rhythm Hacks * Daily sunlight exposure. * Evening light management. * Stress management techniques, like meditation and deep breathing. * Consistent meal times.

Listener Q&A or Case Study * Addressing Common Concerns: + Sleep Struggles: Try managing insomnia during menopause. Sleep Yourself Skinny + Exercise Timing: Explore how adjusting workout schedules can enhance energy levels and sleep quality. + Nutritional Adjustments: Do meal planning to support hormonal balance. * Success Story: Share a real-life example of a client who improved her health by aligning her lifestyle with her circadian rhythm.

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Natural Solutions to Restorative Sleep in Menopause: https://www.flippingfifty.com/restorative-sleep-in-menopause

Exercise Timing Improves Exercise Benefits in Menopause: https://www.flippingfifty.com/improves-exercise-benefits-in-menopause

Why I Meditate and My Recent Weeklong Meditation Experience: https://www.flippingfifty.com/why-i-meditate

Resources:

Flipping 50 Membership: https://www.flippingfifty.com/cafe

Sleep Yourself Skinny: https://www.flippingfifty.com/sleep-yourself-skinny

References:

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/circadian-rhythm?utm_source=chatgpt.com

https://e-pan.org/journal/view.php?doi=10.20463%2Fpan.2023.0029&utm_source=chatgpt.com

https://dspace.stir.ac.uk/retrieve/ec096291-95e3-4ae6-96a9-7c91b35cfb1b/1-s2.0-S0306453022001846-main.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com

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Knowing the root cause for metabolic health is the key to thriving through midlife and beyond. In this episode we’ll help more clearly understand the connection between metabolic health, weight, disease risk, and the power of daily habits.

Discover how addressing the Root Cause for Metabolic Health transforms aging.

My Guest:

Dr. Reena Singh is a Naturopathic Doctor who specializes in metabolic health, weight loss and women's health. She overcame her own chronic illness diagnosis in her early 20s which is what led her into naturopathic medicine. Her goal is to always address the root cause. Creator of the Metabolic Hormone Reset Program.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• What does it mean to "address the root cause"? 05:10
• What is metabolic health? 10:30
• Why is metabolic health so important and how is it connected to our weight and risk for disease? 12:40
• Why is it important to get proper blood work done? What should we be looking for? 18:30
• How do our daily lifestyle habits impact our weight and health goals? 27:20

Connect with Dr. Reena at the Midlife Makeover Summit:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/midlifemakeoversummit

On Social:

Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/metabolichormoneharmony

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/metabolichormonereset

Other Episodes You Might Like:

The ABCs of Metabolic Mastery for Midlife Women: https://www.flippingfifty.com/metabolic-mastery/

The Hidden Reason for Belly Bloat: https://www.flippingfifty.com/reason-for-belly-bloat/

Mastering Midlife Metabolism: The Key to Fat Loss After 45: https://www.flippingfifty.com/key-to-fat-loss-after-45/

Resources:

Power Plate (Use Code: FLIPPING50 for 20% off) https://www.flippingfifty.com/powerplate

Stealth Core Trainer: https://trystealth.com/debra

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It’s the New Year and many of us are interested in changing habits. Or we think we are… Changing habits can be hard. The question might be, should we be interested in creating habits?

We have 60-70,000 thoughts a day. Unfortunately, 90% of them are the same as yesterday.

We seek habits, Atomic Habits the book by James Clear, has been at the top of the charts for over five years.

Yet, Dr Ellen Langer, author of CounterClockwise and Mother of Mindfulness, a professor at Harvard, says habits might be the worst thing we do. We’re no longer aware of our surroundings.

She isn’t talking about yoga and meditation. She was talking about being aware. By consciously focusing on noticing. What did you notice today if you drove to work? What did you notice on your walk?

We’re not mindful at all.

I’m guilty. I used to preach to university students, no ipods during class. I’d send them out on a walk or run or have them do their mile fitness test without it. Most thought that was awful. Now I often catch up on a podcast or training. When I received an ipod as a gift downloaded with hundreds of my favorite artists and began using it, I was hooked. Shortly after I realized that I was in the middle of a 6 mile run and the battery died. I stopped dead in my tracks and wondered how I’d make it home. Twenty-five years of running with nothing but my thoughts and then I can’t move without it.

Questions We Answer in this Episode:

• How changing habits is hard- [00:21:05]
• What your personality really is - [00:21:40]
• What is association vs dissociation - [00:11:40]
• Who do you need to become to have the results you want - [00:38:41]

Changing Habits is Hard Thanks to Personality

Actions start with thoughts. Our thoughts produce feelings. If we think that exercise has to be hard, then exercise becomes torture, eating differently is deprivation, or going to bed earlier is missing out.

It’s those thoughts that create feelings, feelings motivate actions.

Keep saying “that’s just me” then you’ll keep being the way you are now. That gets you the results you’ve been getting.

Vs

Adapt to the things that will get you what you want. You won’t be able to keep doing and thinking the same thing.

Take a woman who wants to lose belly fat, sleep better, and build stronger bones. If she’s accustomed to nightly cocktails, those drinks may feel like a part of her personality. Even knowing the health benefits of cutting back, she may struggle to stop because her environment and habits reinforce her behavior.

The same goes for habits like avoiding exercise, attending muscle-wasting bootcamps, or clinging to diets that give short-term wins but long-term setbacks. These habits feel safe because they’re familiar, even when they don’t work.

But you might not be motivated about changing habits because they’ve become your personality.

If it feels safe, It’s what you know.

Changing feels unsafe because it disrupts comfort zones. Internal resistance arises when automatic habits take over, like reaching for coffee without thinking or defaulting to social norms. External resistance shows up when family or friends resist your changes, making it easier to stick to old patterns.

Thoughts create feelings. Feelings drive actions. And familiar—even if it’s struggle—feels safe. Recognizing internal and external triggers is the first step to breaking free and creating the habits that align with your goals. Change starts in your mind.

The Path to Changing Habits May Not Be the One You Think

I want to leave you with two thoughts.

First, maybe changing habits isn’t the goal.

Reaching goals means not repeating what’s gotten the same results. Who do you need to be to have what you want? What messages are you telling yourself? What would someone where you want to be say?

Second, maybe it’s time to upgrade your system, like a phone or laptop.

What if you’re operating on comments from years ago—told you’re not smart, must work harder, or it’s safer to stay quiet?

What if you still believe things must be hard to earn what you want? Decades later, you say, “I’ll just work harder” instead of considering “different.” Asking, “What if it were easy?” changes everything.

What if you spoke up for what you need, skipped what doesn’t serve you, and said no unapologetically?

Just consider what you likely already know to be true about yourself. There’s a juggling act between changing habits and having a true awareness, a mindfulness in every day. What haven’t you even dreamed that could be true of this coming year for you?

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Your Best 2023 | A Free Workshop for Women:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/best-2023

From Mindless to Mindful (and Younger in Weeks):

https://www.flippingfifty.com/counterclockwise

Resources:

FREE 5 Day Start:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/5DayFlip

8 Simple High Protein Recipes:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/high-protein-recipes

C60:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/c60

Episode Sponsor:

https://www.fitnessmarketingacademy.com/menopause-fitness-specialist

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It’s not your motivation or discipline, it’s behavior patterns that keep you stuck.

Whether it’s sugar, binge eating, nightly glass of wine, picking a fight, overreacting, staying up too late… what breaks these habits and disrupts our reactions to triggers? Today, we’re diving into eating patterns labeled “good” or “bad” and cycles of consistent exercise followed by complete inactivity.

Let’s break the behavior patterns that keep you stuck!

My Guest:

Amber Romaniuk, an Emotional Eating, Digestive, and Hormone Expert, has 11 years’ experience helping high-achieving women build body confidence and health by overcoming self-sabotage. Her podcast, The No Sugarcoating Podcast, has 500 episodes, 1.9 million downloads, and reaches 88 countries, guiding listeners toward Body Freedom™ and confidence.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• Does emotional eating amplify menopause symptoms or vice versa? - 00:05:35
• How does emotional eating affect perimenopause or menopause symptoms? - 00:10:45
• Why is blood sugar regulation key for emotional eating and menopause? - 00:15:25
• How do low progesterone and estrogen affect mood and serotonin/dopamine? - 00:22:45
• Common hormone issues in perimenopause and menopause triggering emotional eating? - 00:23:35
• How to tell if emotional eating or hormones are driving symptoms. - 00:21:45
• Common behavior patterns that keep you stuck—examples? - 00:29:35
• How emotional eating causes weight-loss and metabolism issues. - 00:11:45
• What are the links to perimenopause and menopause? - 00:25:45

Connect with Amber:

https://amberapproved.ca

On Social:

Instagram:

https://instagram.com/amberromaniuk

Podcast:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-no-sugarcoating-podcast/id1158699464

https://amberapproved.ca/podcast/

Other Episodes You Might Like:

How Emotional Eating Can Be the Hidden Reason for Weight Gain: https://www.flippingfifty.com/reason-for-weight-gain/

End Diets, Food Rules, and Emotional Eating: https://www.flippingfifty.com/freedom/

Why your food struggles can be a blessing in disguise: https://www.flippingfifty.com/ee/

Resources:

Emotional Eating Quiz: https://amberapproved.ca/emotional-eating-quiz/

Schedule a Complimentary Body Freedom Session: https://amberapproved.ca/body-freedom-consultation/

Free Emotional Eating Workshop Replay: https://amber-romaniuk.mykajabi.com/understanding-emotional-eating-masterclass

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In one of my favorite episodes of the year, I share the top 10 Flipping 50 Podcasts for 2024.

We had a virtual tie so we kick this off with a tie for the #10th most popular Flipping 50 podcast of 2024.

#10 2 Big Obstacles to Gaining Lean Muscle and Fat Loss After 40 [00:04:44]

Fat loss after 40 and building lean muscle can feel frustratingly out of reach. In this episode, Debra dives into the two biggest obstacles— anabolic and catabolic hormones—and how they impact your progress.

https://www.flippingfifty.com/fat-loss-after-40/

September 27

#10 My Post Menopause Workout Week Experiment | What I’m Doing [00:05:40]

Debra shares her personal workout experiment, balancing intensity, recovery, and volume to build lean muscle and maintain strength. Get a behind-the-scenes look at how she integrates total body workouts, split routines, and active recovery to achieve optimal results.

https://www.flippingfifty.com/my-post-menopause-workout/November 8

#9 5 Non-Exercise Ways to Boost Fat Burn [00:06:42]

Boost fat burn during menopause with five simple strategies. Debra shares tips on hydration, protein, sleep, and smarter movement to enhance metabolism and results—no extra gym time required.

https://www.flippingfifty.com/non-exercise-ways-to-boost-fat-burn/

August 30

#8 Muscle Protein Synthesis in Menopause: How to Plan Pre and Post Workout [00:08:12]

Menopause challenges muscle maintenance, but understanding muscle protein synthesis transforms results. Debra explains hormonal impacts, the role of protein, and meal timing for fat loss, strength, and optimal muscle tone.

https://www.flippingfifty.com/muscle-protein-synthesis-in-menopause/March 22

#7 Lean Muscle in Menopause: 7 Supplements I Use [00:09:41]

Building lean muscle in menopause takes more than exercise. Debra shares seven daily supplements that boost muscle strength, recovery, and vitality, offering targeted strategies for better health and results.

https://www.flippingfifty.com/lean-muscle-in-menopause/April 12

#6 20 Menopause Fitness Changes You’ll Be Glad You Made [00:11:36]

Discover 20 fitness changes that support your body through menopause and beyond. Debra outlines practical, science-backed strategies to optimize strength, energy, and resilience.

https://www.flippingfifty.com/menopause-fitness-changes/May 17

Now, for the top 5 of the Top 10 Flipping 50 Podcasts of 2024

#5 Mastering Midlife Metabolism: The Key to Fat Loss After 45 [00:15:05]

Struggling with weight gain during menopause? In this episode, learn how hormonal changes during menopause affect metabolism and discover exercise routines to boost fat loss.

https://www.flippingfifty.com/key-to-fat-loss-after-45/May 24

#4 Less Belly Fat: Muscle Loss is Fat Gain in Menopause [00:16:12]

This episode highlights how weight training can reduce belly fat during menopause by increasing muscle mass. Know the details on effective strength training routines to improve total body fat and lean muscle resulting in re-composition.

https://www.flippingfifty.com/less-belly-fat/March 29

#3 Unlocking the Secrets to Skin Longevity | A Solution for Crepey Skin [00:17:35]

With the guest episode Dr. Alessandra from OneSkin, we explore how scientific breakthroughs can enhance skin longevity and discover practical tips to maintain youthful, healthy skin post-menopause.

https://www.flippingfifty.com/solution-for-crepey-skin/January 26

#2 Lose Weight in Menopause Faster and Easier Than You Ever Thought Possible [00:19:29]

This episode features Stu Schaefer sharing effective weight loss strategies for women in menopause. Learn how to overcome metabolic challenges and discover the best supplements and tips to lose weight more easily during this stage of life.

https://www.flippingfifty.com/lose-weight-in-menopause-faster/July 16

And the #1 of the Top 10 Flipping 50 Podcasts of 2024 is….

#1 I Gained Muscle After 50: How I Lost Fat [00:23:30]

In this episode, I share how I lost fat and gained muscle after 50, significantly improving my body composition. How I’ve added 4 lbs of lean muscle, lost 4% body fat from 50 to 60.

Through prioritizing nutrition and protein intake, I focused on eating enough rather than less. Weight training, walking, and consciously cycling my workouts became key components of my routine. Recovery strategies, such as proper hydration, sleep, and gut health, were crucial in maintaining my progress.

I share the exercise & lifestyle changes that happened in this last decade. Also know what I use to enhance recovery and boost performance like Epsom salt baths, a Sunlighten Sauna, and a Power Plate.

https://www.flippingfifty.com/gained-muscle-after-50/April 5

And that’s a wrap for the year 2024. Thank you for listening and maybe re-listen to the Top 10 Flipping 50 podcasts of 2024. See you in 2025!

Resources:

Flipping 50 Membership:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/cafe

Flipping 50 STRONGER 12-week program:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/getstronger

Discovery Call with Debra:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/wellness-coaching-for-life/

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Flipping 50 Top 10 Podcasts of 2023:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/top-10-podcasts-of-2023/

Top 10 Podcasts 2022 | Flipping 50 Podcast:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/top-10-podcasts-2022/

Top 10 Podcasts for Menopause Health & Fitness in 2021:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/menopause-podcasts/

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On this special release episode over the holidays, still appropriate no matter when you might listen, I’m going a little personal about why I meditate. I’m sharing some of my recent experiences at a weeklong retreat.

Had you told this active, love to exercise, entrepreneur with two-armed company that she was going to:

• Not know the schedule daily beforehand
• Meditate for up to 35 hours a week
• Get up and not have matcha or coffee to be at meditation by 6 or 4a

I’d have heavily doubted this was something I wanted to do.

Yet, before my first was done, I knew there would be a second. After 6 weeks of an online meditation course with a small group and a coach, I was able to make a 20-year change that was overdue for my personal health. That was in the fall and it was the next spring that I attended my first retreat. My daily meditation habit was fairly consistent, at least that is, until I got a puppy.

I’d returned to it but wanted to completely immerse myself again.

I’m sharing this “why I meditate” episode to share really a little testimonial about meditation, the work of Dr Joe Dispenza, in hopes it might serve you.

Questions I Answer in This Episode:

• Why I Meditate [00:20:42]
• What happened at a recent weeklong retreat [00:07:32]
• How meditation is not as woo-woo as some might think [00:07:02]
• What it is and isn’t [00:07:02]

Why I Meditate and My Recent Experience at a Week-Long Retreat

During a week-long meditation retreat, in the third of three healing experiences, something profound happened to me.

My chair began shaking like someone had their hands on the back shaking it. I wanted to open my eyes and turn and see but I didn’t want to break the healing experience.

Then suddenly that continued, and my forearms began bouncing uncontrollably. If you can imagine dribbling multiple basketballs at the same time in rapid motion. I wasn’t doing it and I couldn’t stop it and felt that I didn’t want to/it wouldn’t be the right thing to do.

I was only mildly aware of the woman next to me on my right taking some deep breaths, maybe crying.

I have no idea how long this went on. I wasn’t scared. I was calm and simply conscious that something was happening.

When the healing was over, I made eye contact with the woman on my right and shared what happened. She apologized and had something similar occur to her left arm. She wondered if she had flailed so much it bothered me.

When we passed a clip board with our names, I noticed she too was a Deborah (different spelling than mine).

As we left, she shared that this was her 8th week-long event, having 24 different healing participation. This is her first experience of this kind. We marveled at the experience and then parted ways on the way to lunch.

The next morning, she ran into me in the elevator. I said, “what are the chances?” There after all were 1500 attendees, but we then ran into each other again. She said, “I’ve been thinking about you. I wanted to tell you; I haven’t been able to hear out of my right ear since I was a child. This morning, I can hear out of my right ear. “

Why I Meditate and am Hooked

Waiting outside the hotel, the demand for Uber drivers was huge. I cancelled the first booking and tried again. Same driver. Still 23 minutes away. Worried about wasting time, I stuck with it. Worried about check-in and making my plane.

Seconds later, I get a text from the airline. My flight is delayed from 1:54 to 2:17. Exactly 23 minutes later. The same as my uber wait. Coincidence?

Before I left for the retreat, I’d been feeling my right knee bothering me. It seemed like something on the medial side of my knee was bruised or swollen. It wasn’t an acute injury and it wasn’t due to any major training change. If anything, it was chronic but seemed odd given my lifestyle and care.

I opted to do a Prenuvo total body scan and when it became available in Scottsdale, I signed up.

For those wondering, it’s a total body scan looking at muscle, skeleton, organs, assessing space in spine and between joints. I learned I’ve got a little degeneration at the cervical spine and flattening of that curve. I also learned about Baker’s cysts behind each knee, which explained the right knee issue. I did see a little benign lesion on my liver that might be something to watch and really minor other things. I’ll elaborate on that in another episode.

Now, there was a visible reason for what was aching, not when I walked or exercised, but lying my knee straight.

Since returning from meditation, I’ve done high intensity interval training, daily walks, and strength training. I’ve had no discomfort. I’m only just realizing it because we only focus on it when it’s bothering us right? It no longer is.

I’m not saying that meditation could heal your weight loss resistance problem, your gut issues, or your bone-on-bone situation, but there is research to suggest and testimonials who have grown back a thyroid, healed cancer, or restored hearing.

Could it open doors for you?

Why I Meditate? I Feel Better! I don’t know that. But I do know, I feel better, and I operate at a higher level of energy when I meditate. I do walking meditations, seated and lying meditations.

It’s one of the greatest gifts I’ve given myself. (not the week-long, but the daily practice of it)

I fought the entire week at this second week-long retreat with Dr Joe. I had to bring myself back again from my wandering, chattering mind. I was lying in a room with 1500 people, with Dr Joe Dispenza leading a meditation and thoughts of tasks or memories of conversations coming into my mind. I had to ask myself repeatedly, REALLY? You’ve come all this way, you’ve taken yourself out of your normal life so that you can make changes, become the better version and you’re in this presence but not here?

I was also sick. In behavior change, illness and injury often show up. You’ve heard about issues in the tissues related to the biology of trauma. We know for instance that being overweight can be tied to childhood trauma or ACES. Tension in shoulders or pain in hips can be related to unresolved emotional trauma.

Getting sick is another way for the body to put up resistance and or sometimes to purge.I had some emotional trauma in the recent month that I was dealing with and some pending decisions to make in other areas.

It took until the last day of the event for me to be truly rewarded, or so I think. Magic may have happened all those times I was just showing up. But finally, it did. And I keep experiencing new awareness of changes.

There’s a risk here and that is that you may outgrow people who don’t operate on the same frequency. You may attract a whole new set of people to you.

Why I Meditate Now, and Share this Message

Whatever you want, if you have been doing things you think will get you there, and you’ve confirmed that’s really true, it could be that you’re thinking so much more about what you don’t want or the problem, or haven’t identified what it is you DO want, and aren’t focusing all your energy there.

You don’t have to be someone who is constantly complaining of ailments or a hypochondriac, but any default thinking that could have been based on something someone said to you years ago, that stuck with you, may have become the identify you are keeping because you haven’t imagined something else.

But there’s more…

Just yesterday I was shopping and had decided on a set of tights and jackets. I was in line and then noticed two other people also waiting with no structure to this “line.” Dec 2024

Resources:

Unlimited with Dr Joe Dispenza:

https://drjoedispenza.com

Prenuvo:

http://prenuvo.com/DEBRA

Flipping 50 Retreats:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/womens-retreats/

Other Episodes You Might Like:

5 Health Benefits of Meditation, Gratitude and Visualization:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/benefits-of-meditation/

References: https://drjoedispenza.com/scientific-research/the-science-behind-a-miraculous-healinghttps://drjoedispenza.com/scientific-research/the-science-behind-a-miraculous-healinghttps://drjoedispenza.com/scientific-research/demystifying-the-formula-heart-brain-coherence

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The timing of your exercise hurts or improves exercise benefits in menopause. If this is new stay with me! If this is like a review or you’re a trainer and you’re unsure of how to relate these things to your clients, you stay with me too! This is a great refresher and for some trainers the first time they’re ever hearing it!

If you’re a trainer or health pro, don’t miss the She Means Fitness Podcast, and be sure if you’re not getting results for your midlife and beyond clients you’re aware of our sponsor of this show, the Flipping 50 Menopause Fitness Specialist®. Since 2018 we’ve been providing the course and CECs, and now, this is not a course, it’s a business. Learn more here.

Questions I Answer in This Episode:

• Why type and timing of exercise matters more in menopause? [00:07:56]
• The normal curve of hormones during the day (and night) [00:08:48]
• How exercise affects hormones [00:10:06]
• Some examples of how exercise timing change has supported symptoms of menopause [00:15:38]
• First steps to try if you’re a little “addicted” to your exercise [00:38:49]

Let’s review hormones related to exercise (in menopause or any stage):

• Cortisol is at its highest level at 8am and lowest at 2am when you’re functioning optimally. During times of stress, whether chronic or acute cortisol levels spike (also increasing blood sugar).
• Insulin levels will increase if blood sugar rises, in order to lower blood sugar levels.
• By late afternoon, cortisol levels are low and not providing the energy we’ve enjoyed during the morning. So if we exercise, your body will convert another hormone into cortisol.
• In the evening, progesterone levels rise to help facilitate the chill and relaxation that helps provide a sound night sleep.
• During deep cycles of sleep, we release testosterone and growth hormones which improve muscle growth and repair.

Why Doing Intense Exercise Early Improves Exercise Benefits in Menopause So you don’t misinterpret, this isn’t a suggestion for intense exercise every day. Doing intense exercise early improves exercise benefits in menopause. Also true, intense exercise late might interfere with exercise benefits in menopause.

The two keys in the conversation on High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) are:

1. cortisol during exercise
2. cortisol after exercise

What does cortisol do?

Cortisol is responsible for physiological changes, such as the quick breakdown of fats and carbohydrates and a rise in blood sugar for immediate energy, and repressing the immune system to focus your energy on whatever you’re doing at the moment.

The blood sugar elevation you see on your Continuous Blood Glucose Monitor is normal and not a bad thing (provided you’re recovering quickly from that spike that is caused by a legitimate need). The glucose has been released so it can be used:

It’s when you see your CGM continue to be elevated after your HIIT session, or crash, that you want to be concerned about.

The quality of your recovery is important. In menopause, particularly perimenopause, recovery can be slowed or insufficient simply because of the changes in hormones. The same stressors in your life can potentially have a greater negative impact on your cortisol.

Additionally, some of the keys to recovery are hard to get in midlife:

• Sleep
• Down time for Meditation and breath-slowing exercises
• Foam rolling or massage

Decades of conditioning work against us getting adequate nutrition and hydration. If we still operate with “eat less, exercise more,” we generally don’t have enough fuel to recover, and hydration could be impeded by low sodium intake. So many of us grew up with messaging about low salt, low sodium being the goal and have taken it so far that we’re not actually hydrating by drinking water only, or worse, water with sugary substances.

Exercise Early Improves Exercise Benefits in Menopause But Not If… One big mistake women make with HIIT is doing it too much or doing it after a workout that was lower intensity, assuming it’s short and feeling you didn’t work hard enough.

We often assume feeling good after exercise is wrong. We’ve been conditioned by the media that it should be hard or hurt to be effective and should be under that threshold of cortisol elevation.

There is a psychological effect from HIIT that differs from cardio activities. Studies on HIIT and high intensity weight training show these are safe and create positive feelings. The brain gets bathed in neurotransmitters after HIIT sessions that give a boost of creativity or problem solving.

While you CAN do HIIT and strength training on the same day, it is not recommended daily. Hard exercise is more beneficial at your capacity.

When you’re in a period of extremely high stress (emotional and or physical) because of that overall load, the allostatic load interferes with recovery.

During Perimenopause, the roller coaster of hormones can mean HIIT is not even ideal for you at all. If you do it and respond positively, 1-3 short sessions a week of not more than 45 minutes of HIIT is ideal. Beyond that point, injury rates go up significantly. Tendons can become more rigid and connective tissue is reduced thanks to lower estrogen. Awareness about this sweet spot of enough - not too much - is really important. I call it the MVP, MINIMUM VIABLE PHYSICAL activity to get results. Doing more gives you less ROI, it might tip your bucket so much that you are headed to breakdown instead of a more resilient body.

During post menopause, the hormone roller coaster has generally calmed down and you can potentially include HIIT. You may be able to increase it up to 4 short sessions a week.

First Steps to Improve Exercise Benefits in Menopause Skeptical or a creature of habit that it’s hard to change even if you’re not getting the results you want? If you say, your belly fat is not budging, in fact seems to get worse, here’s my suggestion.

Let's use the analogy of science by the Glucose Goddess (we’ll link to that episode). If you have a plate of food and change nothing but the order you eat that food, you can change the impact of your blood glucose by up to 75%. Let’s say you find it hard to give up your exercise habits. Change to exercise intensely only in the morning and light exercise or movement late in the day.

Two things to keep in mind:

• Intensity comes from duration too. So hiking 2 or more hours may also spike your blood sugar.
• Lack of fuel before, during or after exercise (for recovery) will also increase the negative impact on your cortisol.

There you have it, keys to improve the exercise benefits in menopause:

• Time intense exercise early in the day
• Even low to moderate intensity exercise can become intense if the cardiac drift is prolonged enough to elevate cortisol and it remain elevated, or if
• The habits before, during or after don’t facilitate quick recover with the right fuel and rest to avoid muscle breakdown

References:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25560699/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1728869X22000338

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9990535/

Resources:

My Favorite CGM:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/myglucose

Flipping 50 Membership:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/cafe

Flipping 50 STRONGER 12-week program:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/getstronger

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Cortisol Hormone: Don’t let it derail your fat loss efforts:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/cortisol-hormone/

Best HIIT Workouts for Women Over 50 | Fat Burning:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/best-hiit-workouts/

The Blood Sugar Belly Fat Loss Connection for Women Over 40:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qnjwjT5-nc

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Personal drama or personal trauma? One and the same? What is it, and how does it shape your health and happiness?

Let’s explore the connection between everyday irritations and deeper trauma. From bad hair days to betrayal, uncover how personal drama impacts your well-being and how to move past it to live the life you deserve.

My Guest:

Dr. Debi Silber, founder of the PBT (Post Betrayal Transformation) Institute and National Forgiveness Day (celebrated annually on September 1st). An international bestselling author and acclaimed speaker on FOX, CBS, The Dr. Oz Show, TEDx (twice).

Her podcast, From Betrayal to Breakthrough, is also globally ranked within the top 1.5% of podcasts. She empowers others to overcome betrayal and reclaim health, happiness, and confidence.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• What is betrayal? How does it show up? [00:05:00]
• How does betrayal impact your health, work and relationships? [00:05:50]
• Why do we stay stuck? [00:18:30]
• How can our biggest crises become our greatest gifts? [00:21:50]
• Who needs healing most, the betrayed or betrayer and how are these paths similar or different? [00:23:30]

Connect with Debi:

https://thepbtinstitute.com/

On Social:

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/InspireEmpowerTransform

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/debisilber/

TikTok:

https://www.tiktok.com/@debisilber

Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/debisilber

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/DebiSilber

Linkedin:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/debisilber/

The latest TEDx: “Do You Have Post Betrayal Syndrome?“:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyqOR69dHiU

TEDx: Stop Sabotaging Yourself:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XX30i6nC7ro

The From Betrayal to Breakthrough podcast:

https://thepbtinstitute.com/podcast/

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Healing Trauma to Lose Weight: What if it’s Not Stress?

https://www.flippingfifty.com/healing/

The Hidden Reason for Belly Bloat:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/reason-for-belly-bloat/

Your Brain Better | A No Negative Side-Effects Method

https://www.flippingfifty.com/your-better-brain/

Resources:

Flipping 50 Membership:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/cafe

Flipping 50 STRONGER 12-week program:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/getstronger

Discovery Call with Debra:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/wellness-coaching-for-life/

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Having a better menopause experience alone ensures you increase longevity and your health span. Usually we talk about preserving muscle, reversing bone loss, and enhancing walking speed to do so. Today, it’s a lot less sweat and breathlessness. but probably the hardest exercise I could ask you to do.

Research shows that older individuals with more positive self-perceptions of aging, measured up to 23 years earlier, lived 7.5 years longer than those with less positive self-perceptions of aging.

If you don’t like what you see, change it. Change the people around you, change what you’re doing or not doing.

The research study consisted of 660 individuals aged 50 and older who participated in a community-based survey, the Ohio Longitudinal Study of Aging and Retirement (OLSAR). By matching the OLSAR to mortality data recently obtained from the National Death Index, the authors were able to conduct survival analyses. The findings suggest that the self-perceptions of stigmatized groups can influence longevity.

If perceptions about aging are formed by the age of 6, you might want to consider that we’ve likely contributed to our children’s and grandchildren’s early death or improved longevity, one or the other.

You and I have either helped them live longer stronger or believe the little things we’ve said, and I quote from people and potentially myself having said this:

“I’m getting old,” which we don’t usually say with a positive spin. This is most likely first said often at age 25 or at 30 when you have at least ⅔ or ¾ of your life left to live.

“It’s hell getting old.” -said at any age

“Just you wait.” -said to younger women about trying to get or stay fit

“Grandma is old, honey, you have to be careful.”

“There’s nothing good about it.” -in reference to getting old

“So, that’s when it happens/when things start falling apart.”

“I am my mother.”

But, how important are these offhanded, casual, lighthearted comments really?

Increase Longevity Through Growth and a Positive Outlook A 2018 Plus One study found that the chances of dementia can be lowered by 49.8% if a positive outlook is maintained.

Who do you surround yourself with? What are your own thoughts? Do you think about yourself in 20, 30 or 40 years? What do you see? How does it feel? What are you doing and who are you doing it with?

Physical exercise and nutrition are the two most important of the tangible things you can do. Your mindset, however, is number one. Yes, you should move every day and we eat every day. We think 60-70,000 thoughts a day and 90% of those are the same as yesterday. We continue living the same pattern and change becomes hard.

While preparing for a class reunion, I looked through old yearbooks filled with messages like, “keep being you” or “don’t forget who you are when you go to…. [university].” In reality, we didn’t intentionally do it, but that advice is some of the worst we could have given each other.

“Keep changing and evolving, growing and becoming” would have been wise beyond our years but even teachers didn’t write things like that.

Increase Longevity With a Youthful Mindset Dr Ellen Langer, the Mother of Mindfulness, tells us that we will stay stuck getting the same results, changing very little, if those habits aren’t changing WHO we are. Unless your best habit is to break habits that keep you doing and repeating thoughts that aren’t getting you results, you’ll continue on the path you’re on now. Virtually, you won’t change much.

The reframing of anything is possible. You’ve probably done it.

For instance, you may have had to run in high school for punishment if you lost or you made mistakes or talked too much in class. Running then was bad.

As an adult you may have come to love running maybe because someone you loved or envied did it and seemed to enjoy it.

Not eating for a long period of time seemed so difficult, it was like dieting, which has a negative connotation stemming from deprivation. But today we know not eating between meals and going 12 hours between dinner and breakfast without calories is positive, and that some often go 16 or more hours without consuming calories and call it intermittent fasting.

So when I go in for a fasting blood test and all that means is I haven’t eating after dinner and it’s 7:30 and they ask if I’m fasting or the phlebotomist asks what I’m going to eat first, as if I must be starving, I’m always a bit surprised they refer to it as a hardship not to have eaten for 11 hours, while I was sleeping most of the time.

A reframe, right?

Dr Ellen Langer’s well-known Counterclockwise study (there’s a book by the same title) with older adults asked to pretend “as if” they were their younger selves for a short time. They were exposed only to music, periodicals, movies of the time they were younger and by the end of the week older adults who arrived using canes, moving slowly, could hear better, see better, were playing touch football. Simply by changing their thoughts about aging.

References:

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2002, Vol. 83, No. 2, 261–270

Copyright 2002 by the American Psychological Association, Inc. 0022-3514/02/$5.00 DOI: 10.1037//0022-3514.83.2.261

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0191004

Levy BR, Slade MD, Pietrzak RH, Ferrucci L (2018) Positive age beliefs protect against dementia even among elders with high-risk gene. PLoS ONE 13(2): e0191004. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0191004

Other Episodes You May Like:

Think You’re Too Old? Ageism Dismantled with Ashton Applewhite:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/ageism-dismantled/

The Senior Games | Off The Scale and Onto a Starting Line:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/senior-games/

Positive Aging Sources:

How to Change the Way You Age | Bolder is Better:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/growing-bolder/

What, When & Why to Exercise for Women 40+ Challenge Bundle

https://www.flippingfifty.com/store/uncategorized/what-when-why-to-exercise-for-women-40-challenge-bundle/

Resources:

Flipping 50 Membership:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/cafe

Flipping 50 STRONGER 12-week program:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/getstronger

Discovery Call with Debra:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/wellness-coaching-for-life/

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Have you ever wondered why you feel better based on the colors you wear? In this episode, you’ll understand just how your fashion is related to your personality.

Know the difference between “image” and “essence". Discover how to use fashion as a tool for self-expression and personal growth!

Today’s guest is my personal color expert (in addition to my voters on IG who helped nail the ultimate Mother of the Groom dress I wore!), and now she can be yours too.

My Guest:

Jennifer Butler is a master of color and style. Holding degrees in Art history, Sociology and Spiritual Psychology she builds on her fashion expertise, knowledge of human nature, and understanding of color, to develop individual DNA based color palettes and style profiles that reveal the essence of an individual’s personality. She is also the author of Dress Your Essence.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• What’s the difference between Image and Essence? [00:07:10]
• What are the 12 Fashion attitudes and how do they affect how we dress ourselves? [00:09:30]
• Why do you say "Beauty is a Spiritual Practice? [00:16:30]
• How does your book help us to "Dress in our Essence"? [00:19:40]
• What inspired you to write this book and put much thought into the colors you wear? [00:15:30]
• What are the 3 first steps to get started Dressing our Essence? [00:31:00]

Connect with Jennifer:

https://JenniferButlerColor.com/

Dress Your Essence Book Link:

http://www.worldchangers.media/jennifer-butler-dress-your-essence

Free Essence Quiz:

https://learn.jenniferbutlercolor.com/quiz

Train Your Eye All Four Season-Archetypes:

https://vimeo.com/118613102/4aa456ebb0

On Social:

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/JenniferButlerColor

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/JenniferButlerColor/

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Beyond Color: Confidence, Radiance, and Energy in Your Closet:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/color/

Younger for Life with America’s Holistic Plastic Surgeon®

https://www.flippingfifty.com/younger-for-life/

Resources:

Flipping 50 Membership:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/cafe

Flipping 50 STRONGER 12-week program:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/getstronger

Discovery Call with Debra:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/wellness-coaching-for-life/

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Building muscle during menopause takes a unique stimulus compared to PRE menopause and is also unique during peri and post menopause.

Of course there’s more. Are you trying to lose weight, gain muscle, prevent osteoporosis, reduce or avoid medication, do you have adrenal fatigue or long haul?

In this episode I’ll discuss the research on protein and call back to a recent episode about exercise volume for building muscle during menopause.

Questions I answer in this episode:

• How have protein recommendations changed over time (then and now)? [00:08:00]
• What are women’s protein needs during menopause? [00:17:30]
• What are the effects of protein on building muscle during menopause? [00:11:00]
• As a refresher, what is the resistance training volume for pre, peri and post menopause? [00:19:50]
• How important is recovery—and are you doing it right? [00:30:20]

Based on RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance), protein consumption is 0.8g per kg (of body weight) per day. This is about 55 grams of protein for a 150-pound woman — but that’s only enough to maintain nitrogen balance and prevent deficiency in sedentary women. It is not enough to help you build muscle.

Let me explain why that is true. The reason for that recommendation is important to understand.

As you age, anabolic resistance increases, meaning you need more protein and stimulus for muscle protein synthesis. More emerging research indicates “that amount may no longer be an appropriate recommendation.” That statement was the conclusion of a 2020 systematic review and meta-analysis addressing the protein needs of people who are exercising and/or trying to lose weight. Researchers concluded, “The RDA for protein of 0.8g of protein / kg / day may no longer be an appropriate recommendation.”

Scientific Research on Building Muscle During Menopause

An interview with Bill Philips, PhD, in May 2024, on the What, When & Why to Exercise for Women 40+, with his primary research focus shifting to that of midlife women, he could already say that the single simplest way to support fat loss and optimal body composition is to increase protein even if you didn’t change your caloric intake.

A 2022 meta-analysis recommends adults should consume nearly 1.5g of protein / kg / day of protein to maintain and/or augment muscle strength along with resistance training. Small-statured women with low reserves may need even more to prevent muscle loss, strength decline, reduced activity, and increased risk of falls or disease.

For active women, whether you are competing or you are intentionally exercising more than 3 times a week for a purpose of achieving fitness or reduced fatness, the 2023 International Society of Sports Nutrition recommends at least 1.5g of protein / kg / day and maybe even more. “Daily protein intake should fall within the mid-to-upper ranges of current sport nutrition guidelines (1.4–2.2 g of protein / kg / day) for women at all stages of menstrual function (pre-, peri-, post-menopausal, and contraceptive users) with protein doses evenly distributed, every 3 to 4 hours, across the day.”

One thing to note is that hitting the “ballpark” is not enough. You need to meet the threshold. Whether it’s reaching muscle fatigue, breathlessness during exercise, or consistent protein intake, falling short means missing the full benefits.

For women in perimenopause, it requires less stimulus than for postmenopausal women with the most hormone decline and most advanced age contributing to anabolic resistance. (inability to gain lean muscle).

Training and Protein: Building Muscle During Menopause

When it’s recommended to have at least two total body resistance training sessions a week, that minimum may best serve:

• Women in perimenopause
• Those with adrenal fatigue or long haul
• Time constricted
• Others who require a longer recovery period

And within those workouts, there needs to be adequate volume achieved with a number of muscle groups, sets, and weight to muscle fatigue.

Postmenopausal women require greater stimulus to build lean muscle. You can aim for 4 HIIT sessions per week and increase resistance training volume if 2 sessions aren’t enough, provided protein, sleep, and stress are optimized.

The biggest obstacle to exercise is time. The second though is time for recovery. An aging muscle needs more stimulus overload. It needs greater recovery to repair the microtears that are innate to workout out intensely.

If you’re an active 150 lb postmenopausal woman who wants to improve lean muscle and decrease fat, to reach the upper range of protein that would be 2.2g of protein / kg body weight / day.

68 kg x 2.2 g of protein = 150 g of protein

To get this, here is a sample protein consumption per day

50 g x 3 meals

35-40 g x 4 meals

For strength training, 15-minute weight training sessions likely lack adequate volume in a session, unless focused on one muscle group. This is useful for beginners learning form or those with adrenal stress or special conditions but may not provide adequate stimulus for muscle growth. In a minimum, do 5-8 sets with some rest between puts you at a need for 15-20 minutes. That’s no warm up and cool down. Again, that’s a single muscle. Even 30-minute sessions may not allow you adequate stimulus for your muscles.

Where to Find Support for Building Muscle During Menopause

Personal trainers and fitness instructors, even with degrees or certifications, lack training on menopause and hormonal influences. They’re entering the field with the minimum viable knowledge. But eager to help solve a problem like weight loss or earn money, they may only do as well as they know.

Advice or training from a 20, or 40-something woman showing what’s working for her may not work for the goal you have and the hormone status you’ve got. Someone trained solely in nutrition on clinical recommendations may not necessarily be up to date on contemporary needs of older women and their hormonal status.

It’s coming, but until we start demanding it, here’s how to advocate for yourself:

To determine protein and exercise needs consider:

• Activity level and goals
• Current hormone status
• What you’ve been doing and how it’s working
• 2.2 g protein per kilogram for active and or postmenopausal women
• Volume of exercise – from sets of major muscle groups – increases with age
• Recovery from exercise is as important as the exercise itself

In an upcoming podcast, I’ll share how to start increasing protein, how to plan a day of protein and position it for support of muscle protein synthesis and blood sugar control. Watch for masterclasses monthly where we deep dive with our members

References:

• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7231581/
• https://sportsmedicine-open.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40798-022-00508-w
• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10210857/

Other Episodes You May Like:

My Post Menopause Workout Week Experiment | What I’m Doing: https://www.flippingfifty.com/my-post-menopause-workout/

Protein Consumption in Menopause (Revisited): https://www.flippingfifty.com/protein-consumption-in-menopause/

Resources:

Stronger: Tone & Define https://www.flippingfifty.com/get-stronger/

Flipping 50 Membership: https://www.flippingfifty.com/cafe/

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Today’s episode is a refresher course or your introduction if you’re new to Flipping 50 and not quite sure you can make the connection between sex hormones and bone density. Share this with younger women to understand “more than seen and felt symptoms” of perimenopause.

Many women aren’t aware of the options, pros and cons of hormone health. The more we know, the more we can make our own informed decisions.

Bone density declines at menopause, and postmenopausal increases fracture risks. But do you know the importance of estrogen and testosterone in your bone health? Stay tuned to review the relationship between your sex hormones and bone density.

My Guest:

Dr. Doug Lucas is a double board-certified physician specializing in osteoporosis reversal and hormone replacement. After training at Stanford University, he transitioned from orthopedic surgery to anti-aging and regenerative medicine, gaining a fellowship in Anti-Aging and Metabolic Medicine and started Optimal Human Health MD (OHH) which is his nationwide telehealth practice.

Dr. Doug educates the world through The Dr. Doug Show: Bones, Hormones and HealthSpan (YouTube), HealthSpan Nation and other platforms, while also mentoring physicians to prioritize patient-centered care.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• What is the role of sex hormones in maintaining or improving bone density? [00:15:22]
• Can hormone replacement therapy (HRT) improve bone health? [00:18:32]
• What is the relationship between hormone decline and bone density? [00:14:17]
• What are the best strategies to maintain bone density with low hormone levels? [00:30:09]

Connect with Dr. Doug:

• https://www.optimalhumanhealth.com/

On Social:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrDougLucas/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dr_DougLucas
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_douglucas/

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Bone Health, Osteoporosis, Osteopenia Tips You’ve Never Heard: https://www.flippingfifty.com/bone-coach/
• Build Bone After Osteoporosis: https://www.flippingfifty.com/build-bone-after-osteoporosis/
• Can I Still Start Hormones 10 Years After Menopause? Doctors Respond: https://www.flippingfifty.com/start-hormones-10-years-after-menopause/

Resources:

• Flipping 50 Membership: https://www.flippingfifty.com/cafe
• Flipping 50 STRONGER 12-week program: https://www.flippingfifty.com/getstronger

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If you deal with menopause brain fog, mild depression or anxiety any time of year, this is for you. It’s also for anyone who wants the latest science on exercise and brain health. The evidence around how movement affects mental well-being is growing, and I want to share some of the most impactful insights with you.

Almost all types of exercise seem to show benefits on mental well-being. Activities like resistance training, yoga, other mind-body activities, aerobic exercise, and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can support brain health to some extent. In this episode I’ll share which exercise helps most, specifically on menopause brain fog, mood, or anxiety.

No matter when you’re listening to this episode, it’s relevant for multiple reasons and seasons. But as I release it during the holiday season, it can have more impact. Whether you might be facing memories of loved ones you’ve lost, whether it was this year or in years past, or the traditions, memories, or emotions that come with the season that make this time of year bittersweet. While holidays can be magical and full of warmth, they can also feel heavy, bringing sadness, anxiety, or emotional struggles to the surface. For women with menopause brain fog and memory issues, the holidays can have an even greater impact.

Beyond Menopause and Brain Fog Global prevalence of depression in perimenopausal women are at 33.9% and 34.9% in postmenopausal women. Why? This may be due to estrogen and progesterone fluctuations, sleep disturbances and greater susceptibility to negative effects of stress.

Most adults with depression don’t receive adequate care - due to the stigma or the fact that they don’t respond well to antidepressants. And pharmaceuticals don’t address the physical comorbidities associated with depression.

Exercise is well accepted as an alternative or complement due to accessibility, acceptability and safety. Even physical activity below public health recommendations can yield significant mental health benefits [and is a necessary place to start].

Menopause Brain Fog, It’s Not Just You A recent study published in the Biomedical Central Public Health Journal of over 200 randomized controlled trials show exercise interventions may have more potent antidepressant effects than SSRIs.

A study examined which of 5 exercise interventions helped reduce depression levels most in postmenopausal women and if certain population characteristics responded differently.

The Exercise Interventions:

• Stretching Exercise
• Aerobic Exercise
• Resistance Training
• Mind-Body Exercise
• Multi Exercise

Mind-Body Exercise had the greatest effect on easing anxiety, followed by Aerobic Exercise. Exercise helps because it creates a controlled stress response, increasing resilience to anxiety.

Years ago, I shared a study showing yoga boosts cognitive function more than muscle conditioning. A study published in Menopause: The Journal confirmed that mind-body exercises reduce fatigue, insomnia, depression, and anxiety.

Why mindbody? Yoga increases melatonin levels, balances nervous system and improves

brain-derived neurotrophic which improves cognition and memory.

Best Exercise for Menopause Brain Fog The menopause brain fog experienced by many women may improve most with HIIT, being characterized by periods of “all out” exercise to breathlessness.

A study in the Journal of Exercise Nutrition & Biochemistry in 2018 showed a Wingate protocol study on HIIT:

• Exercise Structure
  • 30 seconds of all-out effort (fast-paced or against resistance) per interval
  • 4 - 6 intervals per session, with 4 minutes of recovery between intervals
• Total Intense Exercise Time
  • 2 - 3 minutes of intense exercise per session lasting a total of 20 minutes, including rest periods
• Training Frequency
  • 3 sessions per week (totaling 15 minutes of high-intensity work per week)
• Results
  • 2 Weeks - Improved skeletal muscle oxidative capacity
  • 6 Weeks - Equivalent to traditional endurance training (40 - 60 minutes, 5 sessions per week)
• Additional Benefits for Midlife Women:
  • Time - HIIT sessions take 1.5 hours a week, compared to other traditional endurance training 4.5 hours a week
  • Cortisol - Short HIIT sessions avoid the cortisol spike (40 - 60 minutes is the tipping point where cortisol spikes negatively)

Most women say they feel more energized, lighter, and more focused after HIIT compared to long endurance sessions. Studies on postmenopausal women with osteoporosis found that high-intensity, high-impact protocols led to positive responses, with low injury rates and high retention.

Other Exercises for Menopause Brain Fog Resistance training also proves popular among women with anxiety, potentially due to the fact that the increase in heart rate and intensity is temporary, strength gains are made fairly quickly for a beginner and that carries over to increasing motivation, improved sleep.

Walking outdoors with friends combines three sources of serotonin for women, particularly: movement, sunlight, and venting/talking.

References:

Han, B., Duan, Y., Zhang, P. et al. Effects of exercise on depression and anxiety in postmenopausal women: a pairwise and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. BMC Public Health 24, 1816 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-19348-2

Min Chul L, Sung Ki L, Suk Yool J, Hyung Hoon M. New insight of high-intensity interval training on physiological adaptation with brain functions. J Exerc Nutrition Biochem. 2018 Sep 30;22(3):1-5. doi: 10.20463/jenb.2018.0017. PMID: 30343552; PMCID: PMC6199482.

Xu, Hong MM; Liu, Jian MD; Li, Peishan MD; Liang, Yujie MD. Effects of mind-body exercise on perimenopausal and postmenopausal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Menopause 31(5):p 457-467, May 2024. | DOI: 10.1097/GME.0000000000002336

Resources:

BLISSMAS 12-Day Challenge:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/blissmas

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Heal Your Gut, Save Your Brain:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/save-your-brain/

Six Powerful Ways To Keep Your Perimenopause Brain Sharp:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/perimenopause-brain/

Exercise Your Way to a Better Mood in Menopause:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/better-mood-in-menopause/

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Let’s have a quick flashback on fitness then and now, a look at fitness routines as you age. We're going to talk about how we exercised through the years with my guest Linda Malone who is 65. She’s been in the fitness industry as a personal training and fitness expert. She’s doing some marketing and helping fitness and health pros develop their copy.

My Guest:

Linda Melone is the founder of The Copy Worx, a copywriting business targeting health and fitness businesses. She’s a seasoned copywriter, former personal trainer, and a fitness specialist for women over 50. She once ran an online fitness program for women over 50. She also hosts a podcast, B2B Marketing & Copywriting.

Her byline appears in top publications including MSN Health, Oxygen, TIME, Shape, Self, AARP, and the Huffington Post, among many others. She was also a ghostwriter for a high-profile television celebrity fitness expert.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• How did you start your fitness journey, and how has it shaped your life? [00:05:58]
• How has your workout routine changed, and what inspired those shifts? [00:07:37]
• Reflecting back, what do you wish you’d known in your 30s when training women over 50? [00:19:04]
• What are the biggest physical changes and abilities you've noticed over the years? [00:18:01]
• What are your top 3-5 tips for women embracing midlife at 65? [00:22:45]
• What are the biggest myths about exercising as you age? [00:26:09]

Connect with Linda:

https://thecopyworx.com/

On Social:

• Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/LindaMeloneWrites/

• Instagram:
• https://x.com/LindaMelone
• YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@thecopyworx

• LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/linda-melone/

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Ageless Aging: Believe it or Not?

https://www.flippingfifty.com/ageless-aging/

• Truths and Myths: Lifting Heavy in Menopause for Bones & Body Comp:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/lifting-heavy-in-menopause/

• Exercise for Bone Density Then and Now:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/exercise-for-bone-density/

Resources:

• Meditation:

https://www.brain.fm/

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In my 20s, I would go for a run within an hour of waking. But as the years went by, I would linger over coffee and my studies or work. Even though I still wanted to move in the morning, I realized the best quality creativity and focus were accessible to me in the first hours of the morning. It wasn’t the same later.

Eventually, I realized that if I focus on studying or work on a project and delay my workout until later, I could get another boost of focus when I return, refreshed and showered from exercise.

Even when I was training for Iron -distance triathlons, 3 to 4-hour long sessions of running, biking, or swimming could be tiring. I may have had some good ideas on the bike, but overly long sessions left both mind and body drained and exhausted.

The science behind this has a lot to do with cortisol, which helps our brains handle stress and concentrate more effectively earlier in the day. Mental focus is best between 10am and 2pm, but this may vary based on whether you’re a morning or night person.

For me, it’s the quiet of early morning.. typically between 5am and 9am.. that offers the best focus. But if you’re a night owl, you may find focus and get things done later. But only a few of us can focus really well late at night.

P.S. Waiting a little while before exercise has another benefit backed by science: it reduces the risk of back injuries. After an hour of moving around before getting to the gym (like getting dressed or driving) the pressure on spinal discs lessens, lowering the chance of herniation. You can check out the link of another episode below for Myths, Causes, and Solutions for Back Pain.

My Morning Routine and Clear Thinking A fascinating article on sleep cycles, naps, shorter sleep spans and no naps might make you a believer in naps. Even me, as a fairly proclaimed non-napper, I find it difficult to wake up and re-engage in the day after a nap. But the science behind napping is compelling.

There’s something about working too long. When we push through long work hours without breaks (a common Western habit), it disrupts the potassium-sodium balance and keeps us in a Beta brain wave state. Beta waves are for analyzing and alertness. When we sleep, we get Theta waves which are for creativity and higher mental functions. If you study meditation at all, you’ll hear about different waves.

As we fall asleep, our brains move from Beta (awake and analyzing) to Alpha (calmer and quiet mind), then Theta (half-awake or half-asleep), and finally Delta (deep sleep). Research says, we cycle through these stages in 90-minute intervals during sleep and even during the day, our brains naturally focus best in 90-minute bursts. So, if your mind starts wandering after about 90 minutes, it’s normal. We do better with a 20-minute break for productivity and creativity than powering through. The quality of the work is better.

I discovered this myself by pure accident, and then began to lean into it more as I learned more about the brain. What is hard for me is to honor the habit of meditation first thing because when I wake, I tend to want to start my usual habits. It’s true for most of us. And if you have a dog, your habits change real fast!

If you are finding you aren’t as productive or energetic as you like, and you’re ready to try a new routine, here are some suggestions so you can find a morning routine that works for you.

4 Steps to Create Your Own Personal Instead of Adopting My Morning Routine! 1. Learn your personal patterns: keep a track of your energy during different parts of the day, and you’ll eventually see which are the best moments for you to work and rest. We all have this Basic Reset-Activity cycle, but you can learn more about your own personal best routine, even within the confines of work, kids or dogs!

Now, this is not going to work best until you’ve begun optimizing habits like high protein/low carb breakfasts; avoiding coffee-only till noon rituals, avoid skipping meals. You’re not using wine to wind down every night. None of this is going to help you as directly with day time energy if you’re sabotaging yourself. 2. Maximize your peak cycles: plan your day in order to take advantage of the moments where you have the most energy.

I share this with health coaches and trainers in our Flipping 50 Menopause Fitness Specialist program and with our team members too. Though there are things that have to be done on a 12 and 24-hour period within our business, we allow flexibility in our team members to do them.

Where we have issues is if there are too many errors, oversights, and it becomes obvious someone isn’t firing on all cylinders, assuming they are the right person for the job. 3. Take a break: When you’re in a down cycle, it’s better to rest than power through. Rest is not optional.

My personal mental breaks from work are physical movement. After 3 or 4 hours of morning focus, I’ll break to workout. In the afternoon, between sessions, I’ll get Moses outside and play fetch with him or do one of what I’ve coined our 10-minute Longevity snacks. The dynamic balance and agility moves actually require thought, but of an entirely different kind, and definitely away from a screen. 4. Get enough sleep: Sleep deprivation results in a prolonged cycle, lowering your productivity.

My Morning Routine Can be Different to Yours

For me, sleep has always been non-negotiable. Even in high school, I didn’t “sleep in” well. Slumber parties wrecked me for the next couple days. And I was in bed by 10:00pm most high school nights. I just preferred it. Now, all of us were teens with different sleep habits at one point, but even in high school and college, I was up irritatingly early for my dorm roommates at least.

Women in Midlife are more susceptible to negative effects of stress. That’s going to impact our brain as well as our physical body. Doing either of these types of stressful work early in the day will reap better rewards.

For women in midlife, working with cortisol levels in this way is also beneficial. You can avoid the conversion of other hormones necessary for sleep and rest to cortisol to supply the energy in late-day intense exercise. It seems to go well for women during, but the quality and quantity of sleep is negatively affected.

By studying scientific processes and anecdotally having thousands of clients flip their intense workouts to am, we’ve seen improvements in their energy, fitness, and fatness.

References:

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/npr2.12042

https://fmidr.com/the-power-of-the-sleep-cycle/

https://hive.com/blog/90-minute-time-blocking/

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Morning Routines, Training to Fatigue, and Defining “Fueled”: https://www.flippingfifty.com/morning-routines/

Successful Habit Change for Health, Fitness, & Wellness After 50: https://www.flippingfifty.com/successful-habit-change/

Myths, Causes, and Solutions for Back Pain with Dr. Stuart McGill: https://www.flippingfifty.com/myths-causes-solutions-back-pain/

Resources:

BLISSMAS 12-Day Challenge: https://www.flippingfifty.com/blissmas

Flipping 50 Membership: https://www.flippingfifty.com/cafe

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What you don’t know about GPL-1 drugs may hurt you, or your opportunity to improve your health. Misconceptions could limit your ability to make an informed decision about whether they’re right for you.

Whether you’re someone considering these medications for your own health or a fitness professional trying to better understand how they fit into the broader health landscape, this episode will offer valuable insights on what you don’t know about GPL-1. We’re not having a persuasive argument here. Instead, we want to provide a balanced and nuanced discussion, offering you the information needed to make a well-rounded decision.

We are opening up the conversation again with a physician who's been using GLP-1 for a long time. She’s sharing what she’s seen and experienced and if you’re a health and fitness professional, stay tuned as we have something special for you too.

My Guest:

Dr. Tami Meraglia MD is a leader in Functional Medicine specializing in Hormones, Weight Loss and non-surgical facial rejuvenation. She is the best selling author of The Hormone Secret, published by Simon and Schuster, has appeared on Good Morning America, Fox, ABC, NBC and many podcasts and summits as a health expert. She lectures nationally and internationally and is the Medical Director of BioThrive Life that offers personalized medical programs in person in Seattle and virtually across the USA.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• What are the risks and benefits of these medications? [00:11:01] (Benefits), [00:33:10] (Risk)
• If you use them do you need to take them for life? [00:11:19]
• If you use them does the weight loss involve muscle loss? [00:40:48]
• Future of GLP1 medications [00:28:23]

Connect with Dr. Tami:

https://www.biothrivelife.com/

On Social:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/askdrtami/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/askdrtami/

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• How to Spot Menopause Misinformation: A Doctor Talks: https://www.flippingfifty.com/menopause-misinformation/
• Your Glucose Levels in Menopause with the Glucose Goddess: https://www.flippingfifty.com/glucose-levels-in-menopause/

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Intermittent fasting can be very sexy. But does it help or sabotage emotional eating? Some emotional eating experts we’ve hosted have strong feelings about intermittent fasting and those who have emotional eating anchoring their relationship with food have a strong aversion to it.

In this episode we tap into, if intermittent fasting, how, and how not to potentially.

My Guest:

Laurie Lewis, Wellness Coach, shares how to maintain exceptional self-care while dealing with life's complicated and fast-paced circumstances.

By using Intermittent Fasting, Laurie encourages the chance to break free from diet models, connect with the body’s inner intelligence and experience improvements in every aspect of life.

With an eating window every day for seven years, now at 61 years old, Laurie’s biological age (at the cellular level) of 40 years old. From her menopausal struggles to vibrant health serves as an inspiration, embodying the potential for profound change through Intermittent Fasting.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• What is your history of emotional eating? 00:04:50
• What’s your definition of intermittent fasting? Do you think there are optimal windows? 00:10:30
• How could having an (optimized) Eating Window improve every aspect of your life? 00:09:30
• What are the challenges for women with disordered eating and emotional eating trying to use Intermittent Fasting? 00:21:30
• Why do you think the focus on menopause and hormone replacement overlooks emotional eating, emphasizing physical fixes instead? 00:18:50
• What is the root cause of most women’s challenges with their weight loss and health? 00:15:50
• Do you find that many women treat Intermittent Fasting more like a diet, leading to a dramatic decrease in caloric intake and a lack of nutrient-dense foods and adequate protein? 00:27:40
• What are your top 3 tips on how to start Intermittent Fasting TODAY? How does a woman know that she should or shouldn’t? 00:20:10

Connect with Laurie:

• https://FastForwardWellness.com

On Social:

• Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/FastForwardWellness/
• Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/fast_forward_wellness/

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• How Emotional Eating Can Be the Hidden Reason for Weight Gain:https://www.flippingfifty.com/reason-for-weight-gain/
• Midlife Changes with Intermittent Fasting Expert Gin Stephens:https://www.flippingfifty.com/midlife-changes/
• Low Energy Availability in Menopause? Eating Too Little to Feel Good or Age Well:https://www.flippingfifty.com/low-energy-availability-in-menopause/

Resources:

• Hot Not Bothered Challenge:https://www.flippingfifty.com/hot-not-bothered-challenge-2023/
• STRONGER 12-week program:https://www.flippingfifty.com/get-stronger/

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My post menopause workout has been working. Let me say that first. I’m lean, as lean as I comfortably want to be, and my muscle remains high, I’m not losing it. If anything, I’ve gained more in the last 2 years as I bumped intensity and recovery in my routine. By that, I mean more volume in my workouts but also more recovery time between sessions. It’s about being smart with rest as much as it is with pushing through the actual workouts.

Recovery time between strength sessions by the way isn’t just a lazy couch potato time. It's an active recovery. I’m doing sprint intervals, agility drills, mobility work, and lots of walking or hiking. These kinds of activities help me stay conditioned, keep my metabolism going, and ensure that my body remains strong.

But in doing it, I’ve also had the opportunity to see my readiness score soar. Meaning, I’m ready for a high quality workout. I'm primed for high-quality sessions. That readiness translates into better results over time.

Some accidental discoveries have made me question if I was assuming what worked for me was the BEST for me.

So here I am, using the last 90 days of 2024 to testing and experimenting and sharing it all with you.

Questions We Answer In this Episode:

• How it started. [12:25]
• What I’m trying. [13:35]
• Why I’m personally testing. [21:15]
• What are the results - any difference in muscle, fat, mindset, sleep etc. [22:35]

I’ll update you on my progress via social media - most often in short stories on Instagram. For a longer video, I’ll summarize it on the podcast. So if you prefer audio you have it and if you want to see a little more demonstration of exercises to help illustrate the video, you’ll have it in the YouTube video which will be short. And we’ll do a cheat sheet for you.

My Post Menopause Workout: Total Body

Walking or 10 minutes of brief interval walk/run

Walking lunges, lunge matrix, spyders, light core engagement

3 sets each wall sit and single leg Squat

5 sets of leg press in a monster/drop set

5 super sets of chest,

5 sets bent over row with a dynamic balance exercise

5 sets of triceps

3 sets of biceps

4 sets of lat pull downs

5 sets of ham curls

3 sets of limited ROM leg extensions

Total of 38 sets

Notes:

• You may bump from 5 to 6 sets or from 3 or 4 to 5 reaching 40 and changing it up.
• Some days, I might do less lower body and focus more on upper body work, but it’s always a total body workout.
• Never do squats without doing a hamstring-specific exercise. Most people, both men and women, tend to be quad-dominant, and only doing squats can make this imbalance worse.
• Fire up that rear kinetic chain - —this means incorporating movements like hip thrusts, deadlifts (within your safe range of motion), or ham curls to really target the hamstrings and glutes.
• Switching to only UPPER or LOWER during workouts is really hard.

First, it ties me to the gym. which I’m not a huge fan of. I love my flexible schedule and need it.

So for the first two weeks here’s how I did the FLIP. In baby steps.

I took a gradual approach, starting with one total body workout, similar to the plan I’ve outlined. After that, I introduced one upper body-only workout and one lower body-only workout each week. This change bumped up my total workout time by about 1.5 hours per week, which allowed me to add more sets and volume to each session. Each of the upper and lower body workouts required additional time because to ensure I was doing enough sets for each muscle group, I had to expand the time spent on both.

So here’s what each day looked like.

My Post Menopause Workout: Split Routine

Leg Day looked like this: (not including warm up because that stayed relatively the same)

6 sets Leg press monster

5 sets hamstring curls

5 sets limited ROM leg extension

5 sets Side lunges

5 sets single leg squats

3 sets of seated calf raises

5 sets hip thrusts

Total of 34 sets

Upper Body Day looked like this:

2 sets of Chest Fly and push up

5 sets Chest Press superset with

5 sets Bent Over row

5 sets Lat pulldown with

5 sets biceps curls

5 sets of triceps supersets (a super set)

4 sets shoulder exercises (a super set)

3 sets Cable row alternate with

3 sets 1 minute hang

Total of 37 sets

During Month Two, I will switch things up considerably.

Instead of one total body day and a mix of upper and lower, I’ll be doing two leg days and two upper body days each week. I can tell you right now that this will be hard. This shift is going to be tough, and I already know it. The challenge won’t just be physical—it’s also about finding the time and energy. I have a busy schedule, so the commitment to consistently hit these sessions will be a challenge.

Balancing workouts with work and personal life is tricky. Being tied to having to go to the gym or even just getting a workout at home is hard. Since I work at home, I try to get out unless I’m shooting videos or tight on time.

The other challenge is timing. My days start early and sometimes can stretch into the evening, go late and I don’t do high intensity work late in the day. But, if you’re someone who prefers evening workouts or if that’s the only time you have, go for it! Make your schedule work for you. The only thing to keep in mind is that evening workouts can shoot your adrenaline up, which might make falling asleep a little bit harder.

Resources:

Discovery Call: https://www.flippingfifty.com/wellness-coaching-for-life/

Ultimate Assessment: https://www.flippingfifty.com/store/coaching-programs/private-coaching-90-min/

Other Episodes You Might Like:.

5 Menopause Workout Tips from Recent Exercise Studies: https://www.flippingfifty.com/menopause-workout-tips/

Your Perimenopause Workout vs Your Post Menopause Workout: https://www.flippingfifty.com/post-menopause-workout/

What They Don’t Teach Women About Strength Training and should: https://www.flippingfifty.com/teach-women-about-strength-training/

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If you or someone in your family deals with Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s or you’re simply in midlife dealing with changing hormones, this episode and the book we’re discussing, Heal your gut, save your brain, will be one you don’t want to miss.

My Guest:

Dr. Partha Nandi, M.D., F.A.C.P is the creator and host of the internationally syndicated medical lifestyle television show, Ask Dr. Nandi. He is the Chief Health Editor at WXYZ ABC Detroit, a practicing physician, renowned international speaker, appearing at TEDx, medical conferences like Digestive Disease Week and keynotes for organizations such as Medtronic, Phathom Pharmaceuticals, and Eli Lilly.

Dr. Nandi partners with global health organizations, including the Ministry of Health in Jamaica and India and WHO. He give inspiring talks to international conferences and symposia, meeting global health leaders.

His mission, “To Be Your Own Health Hero,” incourages individuals to take control of their health. His latest book, “Heal Your Gut, Save Your Brain”, explores the connection between gut and brain health.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• What inspired you to write "Heal Your Gut, Save Your Brain"- [00:05:25]
• Explain the gut-brain axis and why it is so critical for overall health?- [00:09:26]
• How did your father’s stroke influence your research?- [00:06:38]
• What are the most surprising connections between the gut and brain? - [00:10:15]
• How does the gut influence conditions like depression and anxiety? - [00:12:41]
• What are some practical steps to improve gut and brain health? - [00:18:43]
• How do lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, and stress management play a role in maintaining a healthy gut-brain connection? - [00:22:10]
• Can you talk about your Five Pillars for Optimal Health? - [00:19:16]
• Can you share real-life gut health success stories? - [00:34:08]
• What are the key takeaways of your book, “Heal Your Gut, Save Your Brain”? - [00:42:01]

Connect with Dr. Nandi:

https://www.AskDrNandi.com

On Social:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AskDrNandi/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/askdrnandi/

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@askdrnandi

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/askdrnandi/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/askdrnandi

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Your Brain Better | A No Negative Side-Effects Method:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/your-better-brain/

Get and Keep Your Brain Fit, Healthy, and Strong:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/leaky-brain/

Lose Weight, Gain Energy and Eliminate Pain with a Gut Cleanse: Dr Vincent M. Pedre:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/lose-weight-gain-energy-and-eliminate-pain-with-a-gut-cleanse-dr-vincent-m-pedre/

Events or Affiliate partnership we're promoting in this episode:

Resources:

https://www.healyourgutsaveyourbrain.com/

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Here are three strength training workouts designed specifically for women in menopause. These focus on maintaining muscle mass, boosting bone density, and supporting hormone balance. Each workout should be done 2–3 times a week, allowing at least one rest day between sessions.

Workout 1: Full Body Strength (45 min)

Warm-up (5-7 minutes):

• March in place or light walking
• Arm circles, leg swings, and hip openers

Main workout:

• Squats (with or without weights) – 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Push-ups (on knees or toes) – 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• Bent-over rows (with dumbbells or a resistance band) – 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Step-ups (use a sturdy chair or bench, alternate legs) – 3 sets of 10 reps per leg
• Plank hold – 3 sets of 20-30 seconds
• Bicep curls (dumbbells or resistance bands) – 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Deadlifts (with dumbbells, focus on glutes and hamstrings) – 3 sets of 10-12 reps

Cool down: (5 minutes of stretching)

• Focus on hamstrings, quads, chest, and back.

Workout 2: Upper Body Strength (40 min)

Warm-up (5-7 minutes):

• Light arm swings, shoulder shrugs, and walking lunges

Main workout:

• Dumbbell chest press – 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• Lat pull-down (or assisted pull-ups if available) – 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• Dumbbell shoulder press – 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• Tricep dips (use a bench or sturdy surface) – 3 sets of 10 reps
• Hammer curls – 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Renegade rows (dumbbells in a plank position) – 3 sets of 8-10 reps per side
• Lateral raises – 3 sets of 10-12 reps

Cool down: (5 minutes of stretching)

• Stretch shoulders, chest, and arms.
• No Lower body

Workout 3: Lower Body & Core Focus (45 min)

Warm-up (5-7 minutes):

• Light squats, hip circles, and side lunges

Main workout:

• Glute bridges – 3 sets of 12-15 reps
• Lunges (stationary or walking) – 3 sets of 8-10 reps per leg
• Leg press (if at the gym) or goblet squats (at home) – 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Side leg raises (with or without ankle weights) – 3 sets of 12 reps per side
• Plank with leg lift – 3 sets of 10-12 reps per leg
• Russian twists – 3 sets of 20 twists
• Bird-dog – 3 sets of 10-12 reps per side

Cool down: (5 minutes of stretching)

• Focus on hamstrings, glutes, and core stretches.

Notes from Chat Gpt for 3 Menopause Strength Workouts

“These workouts are designed to help women in menopause maintain lean muscle, improve bone health, and boost metabolism. Encourage the women to lift heavier weights as they feel stronger while maintaining proper form. Always leave room for rest and recovery to support hormone balance.”

For menopause metabolism, a total body workout is generally better. Here's why:

• Boosts overall metabolism: Total body workouts engage multiple large muscle groups, which means more calorie burn both during and after the workout. This is great for combating the slower metabolism that often accompanies menopause.
• Time-efficient: A total body routine lets you hit all the major muscle groups in one session, perfect for those with busy schedules.
• Hormonal balance: Engaging the whole body in one session can help with better regulation of hormones like cortisol and insulin, which are crucial during menopause.
• More frequent stimulus: With total body workouts, you're stimulating your muscles more frequently, which helps preserve muscle mass key for maintaining a healthy metabolism.

Split routines can be effective too, but total body sessions may offer more metabolic bang for your buck during menopause.

Resources:

• 5 Day Flip: https://www.flippingfifty.com/5-day-challenge-new/
• Discovery Call: https://www.flippingfifty.com/wellness-coaching-for-life/
• Ultimate Assessment: https://www.flippingfifty.com/store/coaching-programs/private-coaching-90-min/

Other Episodes You Might Like:.

• Fit or Fat? Training and Measuring Fitness in Menopause: https://www.flippingfifty.com/measuring-fitness-in-menopause/
• Too Much or Not Enough Variety in Exercise in Menopause: https://www.flippingfifty.com/variety-in-exercise-in-menopause/
• 5 Exercise Changes in Menopause to Overcome a Plateau: https://www.flippingfifty.com/5-exercise-changes-in-menopause-to-overcome-a-plateau/

View Details

How’s better sex in menopause sound? For many it sounds like a distant and foreign trip.

Sex is one of the most popular topics on the show. Many women tell me their partners are glad they’re attending. Sex is such a hot topic (see what I did there?) that low libido was a topic answered one of the first three episodes of the Flipping 50 TV show.

Did you know there are two types of desire? And did you know that sex never has to stop?

My Guest:

Dr. Kelly Casperson is a urologist, public speaker, sex educator, and top international podcaster

whose mission is empowering women to live their best lives. Dr. Kelly identified the need for

better resources and developed a sex education class for women that covers topics like sexual

health, intimacy, mind work, and the science of desire. She combines education, humor, and

candor in her podcast "You Are Not Broken" where she dismantles the myths women have

learned and normalizes healthy, enjoyable sex worth desiring, in addition to essential education

on midlife health and hormones.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• What is the science of desire? [00:18:05]
• What are the common myths women believe about their sexuality? [00:07:25]
• Is there a dramatic or distinct fall off of sexual interest for women related to menopause or when does that occur? [00:13:15]
• What are the reasons women stop being intimate in midlife? [00:12:45]
• What are the two different types of desire? [00:18:05]
• What is the most important thing to know about desire mismatch in a couple? [00:19:25]
• How to find a doctor or talk to your doctor about sexual health issues and hormones [00:28:25]
• Does a woman recognize an “issue” with sexual health? [00:26:35]

Connect with Dr. Kelly:

https://www.kellycaspersonmd.com

On Social:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/youarentbroken
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kellycaspersonmd/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kellycaspersonmd

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Sex Dysfunction in the City Just Like That: https://www.flippingfifty.com/sex-dysfunction/
• Intimacy and Incontinence with The Girlfriend Doctor: https://www.flippingfifty.com/the-girlfriend-doctor/
• Juicy New Menopause, Libido, & Intimacy Solutions: https://www.flippingfifty.com/juicy-new-menopause-libido-intimacy-solutions/

Resources:

• Stronger: https://www.flippingfifty.com/get-stronger/
• 5 Day Flip: https://www.flippingfifty.com/5-day-challenge-new/
• 90 Day Planner: https://www.flippingfifty.com/store/books-videos/90-day-planner-tracking-the-flip/

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The Doctor is in the house and she’s an over 50 fitness athlete. She’s juggled all the balls you may have from a caregiver and midlife crisis like me. But she’s returned to her prior passion for fitness competitions. Or has she? I’ll ask that question - is it the competition or the training or the being on top of your game?

This over 50 fitness athlete is prepping not just for a November competition but serving patients and clients and hosting a summit. How does she fit it in?

This is a perfect episode to share with you just before the holidays. We cover quite a bit of tips and tricks for dealing with getting fit and sticking to your own goals during the holidays while still enjoying them.

My Guest:

Dr. Venus, The Fit Foodie M.D., is a board-certified Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation physician trained at Yale, Univ. of Miami, and UC-Irvine. With a thriving California medical practice, she's been a national-level fitness athlete and respected trainer serving clients from single moms to pro athletes, and even an action film star. A repeat guest on "The Doctors" TV series, Dr. Venus has also appeared on NBC's "Today" and "American Gladiators," and contributed to outlets like iHerb.com and Oxygen Magazine.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• How did you handle your mid-life crisis? [00:07:10]
• Have you experienced this competitive edge? [00:23:20]
• What's your personal secret to staying young? [00:11:50]
• Having been a fitness competitor for so long, what does being fit mean to you? [00:39:20]
• What role does stress play for you in your training now and your midlife body? [00:40:20]
• What part of training do you love the most? [00:41:00]

Connect with Dr. Venus for Fitness Mastery Summit (Nov. 7-10, 2024)

https://www.flippingfifty.com/fitnessmastery

On Social:

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/doctorvenus

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/docvenus/

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@drvenusoncall

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/doctorvenus

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• 7 Simple Interval Training Workouts for the Holidays https://www.flippingfifty.com/interval-training/
• 10 Ways Fitness Pros Stay Motivated To Exercise, Holidays or Not https://www.flippingfifty.com/10-ways-fitness-pros-stay-motivated-to-exercise-holidays-or-not/
• Avoid Falling Off the Bandwagon this Holiday (and Getting Run Over By It) https://www.flippingfifty.com/avoid-falling-off-bandwagon-holiday-getting-run/

Resources:

• Infrared Sauna: https://www.flippingfifty.com/sauna
• C60 Purple Power: https://www.flippingfifty.com/c60

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In this episode with returning guest and fan fave, Cynthia Thurlow we discuss updates on intermittent fasting. If you’re craving a behind the scenes, more than science-geek relay of the power of autophagy episode you shall have it.

I’m looking forward to sharing this one with you.

My Guest:

Cynthia Thurlow is a globally recognized expert in nutrition & intermittent fasting, highly sought after speaker, and the CEO and founder of Everyday Wellness Project. She’s been a nurse practitioner for 20+ years, is a 2x TEDx speaker: her 2nd talk on intermittent fasting has been viewed over 7 million times. She has been featured on ABC, FOX5, KTLA, CW and in Medium and Entrepreneur. Cynthia was recently listed in Yahoo Finance as one of the “21 founders changing the way we do business.” She’s also the host of Everyday Wellness Podcast, which was listed as “20 podcasts that will help you grow in 2020” by Entrepreneur magazine, and in Business Insider “21 podcasts to expand your mind in 2021.”

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• What’s new we need to know about intermittent fasting? [00:06:15]
• How are your views on intermittent fasting evolving? [00:07:10]
• What impact has life events as well as your menopause stage had on your habits? [00:09:00]
• What supplements do you view as keys to success for women? [00:30:29]
• What’s motivating your physical and lifestyle habits most? [00:10:10]
• How has fueled exercise changed your ability to gain lean, lose fat, or gain strength? [00:08:20]

Connect with Cynthia:

• https://www.cynthiathurlow.com/

On Social:

Facebook:

• https://www.facebook.com/CHTWellness/

Instagram:

• https://www.instagram.com/cynthia_thurlow_/

YouTube:

• https://www.youtube.com/@CynthiaThurlow

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Intermittent Fasting for Women | Health & Wellness | When Yes When No: https://www.flippingfifty.com/intermittent-fasting-for-women/
• Midlife Changes with Intermittent Fasting Expert Gin Stephens: https://www.flippingfifty.com/midlife-changes/
• Why your food struggles can be a blessing in disguise: https://www.flippingfifty.com/ee/

Resources:

• Mitopure: https://www.flippingfifty.com/mitopure
• 5 Day Flip: https://www.flippingfifty.com/

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My Guest:

Emily Sadri is a Board Certified Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner, Certified Nurse Midwife, and the founder of Aurelia Health, a modern telemedicine practice for women over 35. Aurelia Health provides comprehensive hormone replacement therapy and weight loss support with long visits and un-rushed care.

Emily is passionate about making complex hormonal topics accessible and believes that great health starts with happy hormones and a balanced stress response.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• Why do you think there still so much confusion about hormone replacement therapy and if it's "good" or "bad"[00:18:56]
• You suggest there are downsides to hormone testing… and I’m curious about why you’d say so? [00:22:50]
• I’m also shocked to find some believe testing is unnecessary with estrogen and progesterone replacement therapy, that seems like a big fat game of trial and error and any woman on HRT knows that getting your cocktail right already is a course-correcting journey as it is - say more about these people who are shooting darts in the dark.. Who does that? [00:24:29]
• First of all, what is balanced? How do you know when all of the major hormones are "balanced"? [00:27:52]
• Do you think every woman benefits from testosterone replacement therapy? [00:34:26]
• What additional factors do you focus on with your patients to help them be successful with HRT? [00:35:08]

Few women were optimizing hormones early in perimenopause a decade ago. But the health outlook for those that do stands to be significantly better than for those women who experience drops then boost it again.

Are you doing HRT in perimenopause? Or Did you?

Connect with Emily and The Perimenopause Revolution Summit

• https://www.flippingfifty.com/revolution

On Social:

Instagram:

• https://www.instagram.com/emilysadri_np/

Facebook:

• https://www.facebook.com/emilysadri.np.ohio

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Can I Still Start Hormones 10 Years After Menopause? Doctors Respond:
• https://www.flippingfifty.com/start-hormones-10-years-after-menopause/
• What Women Need to Know about Hormone Replacement Therapy:
• https://www.flippingfifty.com/what-to-know-about-hrt/
• Hormone Testing Started It: What My GI Doctor Suggested I Do Next:
• https://www.flippingfifty.com/hormone-testing-started/

Resources:

• 5 Day Flip: https://www.flippingfifty.com/

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In this episode, it’s all about how I choose podcast guests.

First before we get started, I appreciate your thoughts. I work hard on keeping an open mind and listening to suggestions. Though I can’t take action on all of them, we are here because of you. There’s this dance between the expert, experienced, the educated individual in me giving advice even creating programs in a way that may go in opposition of what you want.

That is because I’m applying 40 years of science studies, combining the physiology of fitness with physiology of menopause, and with the science of human behavior and change. We’ve created things that will make some of you contest the way we deliver them.

I wanted to share how we come to accept or reject for now guests who apply for the show or who are pitched by PR firms. How we reach out to find professionals who can not only share science but share stories, theirs and clients or patients they’ve worked with.

Someone recently was upset hearing a guest used Ivermectin to overcome C-19.

Others have suggested that Ozempic or semaglutide, drugs were black and white.

Another listener and social media follower said though she’d followed for years, she thought I’d lost it (meaning marbles) when I hosted someone discussing energy frequencies.

I have experts who want to come on and talk about Keto and intermittent fasting. I have professional opinions about both based on my 40 years of experience working with midlife women and our community of more than 300K women.

But I won’t just turn them away. I’ll ask if they’re open to a conversation about when and how and why it might not be appropriate for everyone all the time. If they’re willing to agree to disagree and to help a listener hear both sides of the story and decide for themselves what and when and why, I still may bring them on.

I also reserve the right to not publish recordings that are poor sound quality, or a discussion that was terribly awkward when a guest didn’t answer questions I asked but followed some hidden agenda.

How I Choose Podcast Guests and Topics for You

In response to the Ivermectin question:

Actually, many of the function physicians I work with use this personally if they've caught it soon enough.

I don't know that we have to agree with 100% of what any expert or human does or says. But I do think personally we have to keep listening and taking in another set of thoughts.

Otherwise, we'd still be believing that the retracted study data suggesting that HRT, specifically bHRT was a threat vs a life-preserving option for women.

All said with respect. I wish I had the luxury of not listening to someone because I didn't agree with every thought: it would relieve a lot tension! But I've had to be willing to adjust my thinking and see science interpreted from all sides.

Certainly, hope this isn't irritating and lands as intended for you as the means of my own filter for women.

I've hosted Intermittent Fasting experts knowing fed exercise is more optimal for women in midlife and beyond for 8 years.. and guess what... they've come around, and two big proponents are now agreeing with the science suggesting that we have to choose priorities and timing of everything.

That wouldn't have happened without someone challenging their thoughts and listening to the conversation.

I must host those I agree with, those I don't, and be transparent about that.

Not long ago, hormone replacement therapy was very misunderstood. Recently, someone I know well consulted with her physician and was told, going on would be more risky than not because it’s been too long since menopause.

Other doctors are adamant that this is not the case. I’ll continue to bring them on. You DO have choices. One physician only has the experience they have and the degree to which they’re comfortable making changes in thoughts, information and actions …. Is the medical care you’ll receive from them.

I’d love to hear your response to this episode.

Resources:

5 Day Flip:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/5-day-challenge-new/

Discovery Call:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/wellness-coaching-for-life/

Ultimate Assessment:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/store/coaching-programs/private-coaching-90-min/

Other Episodes You Might Like:.

Can I Still Start Hormones 10 Years After Menopause? Doctors Respond:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/start-hormones-10-years-after-menopause/

One Thing I Would Change After 40 Years Working with Women in Menopause:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/working-with-women-in-menopause/

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In this episode you’ll hear me respond to one of our Flipping 50 members asking a question about being sore in menopause, for no reason. If you’re sore, stiff, or even have a little niggle or “catch,” this is for you.

If you’ve passed this kind of thing off for arthritis or getting old, stick around. If not you, a girlfriend or sister needs to hear this.

Paulette asked:

“I'm looking for suggestions about what helps with muscle stiffness and soreness unrelated to injury.

I have noticed in my transition to menopause that I have much more muscle stiffness and less flexibility, despite being quite active and doing yoga several times a week. It's mostly my legs and hips...and low back...well, probably every muscle...lol.

I wake up stiff and it generally improves within a few minutes of movement, but I notice it throughout the day when I bend down, or try to get down on the floor or up from there.

I'm sure this is a common complaint among 50 plus women...what helps with this?”

Reasons for Being Sore in Menopause Some women experience this and it can be due to a lot of things… The changes in estrogen during menopause can lead to various symptoms. Specifically, estrogen deficiency can cause a snowball of symptoms.

Some of the habits we thought were good, are actually not, or not going to match the status of our hormones and their influence on muscles, bones, connective tissues, gut health, sleep, sex and every cell in our body.

Over time, women are finally getting more savvy. As we find more women less willing to accept weight gain, belly fat, frequent injuries, stiffness, or in this podcast, soreness as normal processes of aging… and instead as clues we need a pivot from prior habits or beliefs, we’ll all start making aging better instead of dreaded!

Reduce or eliminate:

• Dairy
• Gluten / Wheat
• Eggs
• Soy
• Peanuts
• Corn
• Nuts (including almonds and almond flour or almond milk)

Oxalate consumption can also be a problem. The body makes oxalate acid that can contribute to muscle pain or soreness as well as gut issues. (Listen to the podcast for a food high in oxalate and the flips)

If you have any other leaky gut signs (gas bloating, constipation, diarrhea). But.. you don’t have to have these gut signs, by the way, to have a problem with the gut or these oxalates. They’re sneaky little things.

Lack of Gut Issue Doesn’t Mean You Won’t Be Sore in Menopause Here are some suggestions for increasing your anti-inflammatory response.

Add or increase:

• Salmon
• Omega 3 supplements
• Magnesium
• Vitamin D
• Antioxidant rich brightly colored veggies
• Matcha tea (a clean, tested for mold and heavy metals ceremonial grade is super high in antioxidants having one of the highest ORAC values)

Habits:

• Epsom salt baths
• Longer warm up and cool down
• Infrared Sauna
• Pay a little more attention to your mobility work

As a side note:

Genetics play a part in whether you tend to get sore or not. There are two specific genes identified with this. Certainly with conditioning, you’ll experience less soreness. But a unique workout, involving small muscles you don’t use often will cause more muscle soreness than something that focuses on glutes or quadriceps that are used to a lot of activity.

Other Episodes You Might Like:

6 Secrets to Less Stiffness and Muscle Soreness After 50:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/6-secrets-to-less-stiffness-and-muscle-soreness-after-50/

Current Status: Fatigued and Want to be Fit!:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/fatigued-and-want-to-be-fit/

4 Step Process to Resolve Fatigue Naturally:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/fatiguedoc/

Resources:

Lisa Barr: www.BarrCenter.com

Teri Cochrane: www.tericochrane.com

My Sauna: https://www.flippingfifty.com/sauna

References:

Wright, V. J., Schwartzman, J. D., Itinoche, R., & Wittstein, J. (2024). The musculoskeletal syndrome of menopause. Climacteric, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1080/13697137.2024.2380363

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Whether you or your daughter, or someone you know, the perimenopause brain can be a “thing.

If you’ve been tuning in to Flipping 50 long enough, you’re familiar with symptoms of menopause. In this episode, I explore the connections of symptoms to brain health. With my guest, we’ll share how bHRT or Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy could benefit not just your brain, but also your cardiometabolic health.

Tune in to discover what we can do to improve your perimenopause brain power and cardiometabolic health.

My Guest:

Dr. Mariza Snyder is a functional doctor, perimenopause and menopause expert and the author of eight books. Her recent book, The Essential Oils Menopause Solution, focuses on solutions for women in perimenopause and menopause and the #1 National Bestselling book, The Essential Oils Hormone Solution, focuses on optimizing women’s health. Dr. Mariza is also the host of the top-rated Energized Podcast, (with over 12 million downloads) designed to empower women to claim agency over their health.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• You’re in a unique niche I think we’ll see more and more of - the blending of perimenopause and postpartum or young children which is a whole other animal than comparing women who are otherwise asymptomatic until mid or late 50s… and wow! I can’t imagine.. Having been a mom to an infant or toddler I can’t imagine what women who have severe or stacked symptoms during perimenopause and young children too, might face. [00:03:59]
• What has been your perimenopause journey and how has your journey inspired you to support women in midlife? [00:07:56]
• What are some of the biggest symptoms that you find show up for women in midlife you’re serving and how are so many of them related to their brain? [00:10:13]
• How can BHRT be beneficial for brain and cardiometabolic health? [00:15:16]
• What are other habits you like to recommend a woman use to improve her resilience, strength and cardiometabolic health? [00:27:37]
• First, let’s define cardiometabolic health and how that plays out for women more used to hearing and using metabolism. Metabolic flexibility, cardio as so many women know is related to heart, but a vocabulary lesson is in order here. Let’s just assume it's the first day of midlife women’s health class and we want to define all of these terms so we don’t do any assuming. [00:18:32]
• What are the most powerful levers for boosting our perimenopause brain energy and capacity? [0030:32]

Connect with Dr. Mariza:

Thriving in Perimenopause and Menopause Summit:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/perimenopausesummit

On Social:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drmarizasnyder/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/drmariza/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/drmarizasnyder
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/drmariza
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/drmariza/

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Restore Hormones to Factory Settings? More Science for bHRT:https://www.flippingfifty.com/restore-hormones/
• Your Brain Better | A No Negative Side-Effects Method:https://www.flippingfifty.com/your-better-brain/

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You’re just a workout, even a warm up set, away from strength training benefits in menopause. In this episode you will learn or get a refresher on just how soon you can expect to get those immediate results we all crave.

Unlike Amazon you can’t get them dropped on your doorstep in a few hours, but you will be pleasantly surprised (or reminded) by the fact that some changes happen in seconds.

Within Minutes these are Happening:

Increased Heart Rate - which means increased blood flow to brain and because of that a decreased level of pain and increased sense of alertness and creativity and problem solving

Release of Anabolic Hormones - testosterone and growth hormone

blood sugar reduction - it's used for the fuel for the exercise, even 10-15 air squats works so of course, if you're lifting with a load or tempo that causes more muscle stress

Release of Neurotransmitters - this occurs more with intense exercise and may take a few minutes but by the end of your workout, dopamine, and

Improved Neuroplasticity - if you're trying to learn a new language or absorb new information you might want to push play while you're working out.

How to amplify these while you workout?

Want more "feel good" hormones ? Play music you love, workout with a friend (and yes, even an exercise video if you feel like the instructor "gets you" and is more than a drill sergeant could do this)

Want to take advantage of learning or inspire a little creativity?

If you're already working on a project, absorb a little content about it before the workout and don't necessarily dwell on it while you workout. Your brain may actually answer questions you ask while you're taking a break from it. But also, listen to that Spanish lesson or informative podcasts while you exercise.

Within days or weeks these strength training benefits occur Reduce Hot Flashes - in the 24 hours after a moderate or higher intensity workout. The same is not true of low or leisurely activity. A 2012 study in the medical journal Menopause.

Continued Neural Connection - studies show a large part of initial gains - up to 8-12 weeks of training - are still due to that stronger neural connection. During this time, heavier may not be better, especially for women in midlife with history of injury or tendency toward injury.

Blood Sugar Control Improves - reducing insulin resistance issues that negatively impact visceral belly fat, so you will be on the path to reducing total fat as well as directly impacting visceral fat

Strength Increases - due primarily to the neural connection as your brain learns or also strengthens the signaling between brain and muscle while you're learning a new movement pattern or waking up an old one. This isn't yet due to size (or hypertrophy) so the first few weeks you may not see noticeable change but you will already be picking up a heavier weight.

Fiber Size Increases - after those first weeks and as that neural connection continues, muscle fiber size increases, and you'll likely see more tone as evidence.

Changes in Fiber Type - less noted but the anaerobic exercise improves your type two or fast twitch fibers. So important for aging because these are lost without intentional stimulation. These changes will continue and enable more powerful speed and agility work that further enhances your aging process.

Tendons And Ligaments Improve - a big bonus for midlife women who have lost estrogen and are thus more prone to injury. You'll be improving resilience in those for every day activities as well as preparing to do heavier work that will be a greater stimulus for bone and metabolism boosts.

Over Months and (lasting) Years....these strength training benefits occur Reversed Aging Effects of 179 Genes Associated with Aging - hello game-changer. If you start October 1 by April 1 (no kidding) you'll be younger.

Increased Bone Density - with the right progressive protocol (we don't jump in at the end and we can't stay at the beginning if you're able to do more) significant changes take 9 months to a year for the bone remodeling process. But if you're having an annual DEXA (and I highly recommend you do), you'll have noticeable change with strength training as you also fix any gut issues.

Reduced Risk of Both Sarcopenia and Osteoporosis in Late Life - muscle and bone loss historically have been issues related to metabolic disease and structural issues related to falls, fractures, bedrest, weakness and injury directly related to falls or consequent falls. Resistance training is proven to decrease this risk. But ? Pilates and yoga may be on the continuum... they are on the left... not the right.

Psst. Sarcopenia and osteoporosis BOTH begin in your 30s. Muscle peaks at 25, bone at about 30. Losses of each begin around 30 and 35, respectively. Think about what you were doing. Were you consuming adequate protein? Doing high impact and high intensity resistance training? Were you prioritizing sleep? Or were you on weight loss diets one after the other, skipping meals or skimping on calories, or making poor choices? You may have been doing the best you knew then, or may have been ignoring best in search of short cuts to skinnier obsessions so many women have. You can support a young woman from making the same mistake. Her bones could be better thanks to you.

Other Episodes You Might Like:

What They Don’t Teach Women About Strength Training and should: https://www.flippingfifty.com/teach-women-about-strength-training/

How Does Strength Training Increase Your Metabolism?: https://www.flippingfifty.com/increase-your-metabolism/

Importance of Strength Training for the Midlife Woman: https://www.flippingfifty.com/strength-training-for-the-midlife-woman/

References:

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5983157/#:~:text=Resistance exercise studies (8%20to,neural%20adaptations%20begin%20to%20plateau
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1866181/
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10306117/#:~:text=Results,effects on muscle mass outcomes.
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30558493/#:~:text=Following a systematic search of,response; hypertrophy; resistance training.
• https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sports-and-active-living/articles/10.3389/fspor.2022.950949/full
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27163520

View Details

Just to be clear, this podcast is less about managing menopause in the physical sense of the term and more about what you might be telling yourself about it. If you are stuck in the messy middle, or you’re itching for a change, and perhaps just don’t know what that is, this is for you.

If you think life right now is hard or you are overwhelmed, I think this episode will be one you’ll find rather awesome in the real sense of the word.

We’ll dive into the mindset shifts and emotional resilience to navigate this phase, helping you embrace the possibilities that lie ahead.

“After surviving a triple devastation in losing the love of her life, her job, and her health all at once, Dr. Marjah Simon-Meinefeld began a 10+ year journey studying, reading and listening to everything she could on deliberately creating a new life.”

My Guest:

Marjah Simon is the visionary behind Author Writer’s Academy, where successful entrepreneurs, entertainers, and executives become authors effortlessly. With a rich background in law, military service, modeling, and business, Marjah is a seasoned attorney and international speaker.

Marjah's impressive portfolio includes not only 5 of her own books but creating 100+ published authors, making her a prolific coach, writer, and a dedicated mentor to aspiring writers. Join her at Author Writer’s Academy to share your amazing story with the world.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• Say more about “deliberately creating a new life” for women managing menopause changes [00:09:40]
• Do you think hitting bottom is required to get to the top? [00:12:50]
• Discipline and drive would seem to be common denominators in your background and history, talk about intentional health decisions and actions daily [00:08:50]

Connect with Marjah:

www.awa4Life.com

https://marjah360.com

On Social:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marjah.simon
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorWritersAcademyFB
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marjahauthorcreator/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorwritersacademy/
• YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@marjahsimon
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@marjahauthorcreator

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Ironman Dexter Yeats About Being 72, Unstoppable, and Unique: https://www.flippingfifty.com/ironman-dexter-yeats-72-unstoppable-unique/
• Think You’re Too Old? Ageism Dismantled with Ashton Applewhite: https://www.flippingfifty.com/ageism-dismantled/
• Starting Over Better Than Ever Over 50 https://www.flippingfifty.com/starting-over/

Resources:

Marjah’s Amazon book ‘Next Life Next’ https://a.co/d/7IVEnaA

Stronger 12-week program: https://www.flippingfifty.com/getstronger

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Chances are if you tuned into this based on the title you’re not exactly where you want to be right now. Fat loss after 40 could be a challenge in spite of your best effort. Gaining lean muscle could feel like it’s slipping through your fingers.

To those regular listeners who are here no matter what, I thank you too, even if you’re not necessarily dealing with failed results, maybe you’re loving life right now! Someone you know may be and you can help them understand it is my hope from this episode.

Spoiler alert, I’m going to tell you the two most common endocrine-related reasons right up front. And, there’s more to the story. Because just knowing isn’t enough. One, most of us when we do know what to do have to overcome habit gravity and decades of dogma about the messages you’ve been given.

But for you listener, it’s possible that you have limiting beliefs acquired simply by living and being subject to the environment you were.

You may be listening and have always worked hard and believe hard and more is the answer.

Or… You may be under the impression, “girls don’t run” or lift, or fear injury from exercise.

Ironic, that we can have grown up in the same era but have such diverse beliefs but I’ve found working with women over 40 for 4 decades, there is definitely a wide continuum of belief about exercise success.

That… if you’re willing or open… can change. We all harbor some limiting beliefs. Once we recognize them we can still hold onto them.

Why Gaining Lean and Fat Loss After 40 are More Challenging 1. Too little anabolic hormone influence 2. Too much catabolic hormone influence

(by exercise, nutrition and lifestyle habits)

Questions We Answer in this Episode:

• What are the biggest obstacles to fat loss after 40? [00:14:30]
• Why do we hear this and struggle to implement it? [00:17:20]
• How do you know which you might be doing? [00:25:40]
• How do you deal with prior injury and fear of reinjury? [00:29:40]
• What makes you more prone to struggle with fat loss after 40? [00:21:20]

These alone are not the problem...

Anabolic hormones include:

• Estrogen
• Testosterone
• Growth Hormone
• Insulin (to a small extent)

Catabolic hormones include:

• Cortisol
• Insulin

Let’s look at the physiology of menopause.

• Hormonal Shifts: Estrogen, testosterone, and growth hormone decrease related to your age and lifestyle habits than menopause alone. Collectively though those three hormones can make or break your progress.
• Insulin’s Role: While insulin helps regulate blood sugar, too much can lead to fat storage, especially if muscles and the liver can’t absorb it efficiently.
• Liver Health: A liver overloaded with toxins or processed foods may struggle to support metabolism and hormone function.
• Muscle: If you have little muscle and don’t move regularly, your body has limited capacity to store glycogen (which insulin uses to lower blood sugar) and is instead stored as fat.
• Cortisol and Stress: This stress hormone can break down muscle and increase fat storage. Prolonged exercise elevates cortisol, while short, intense workouts raise it temporarily but allow it to drop post-workout.
• Exercise Balance: Overdoing endurance activities might increase fat storage. Finding balance in your workouts is key.
• Strength Training: Essential for maintaining muscle mass and bone density, strength training should complement other activities like Pilates or yoga.

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• What They Don’t Teach Women About Strength Training and should: https://www.flippingfifty.com/teach-women-about-strength-training/
• Muscle is an endocrine organ – Muscle is HRT for Women 40+: https://www.flippingfifty.com/hrt-for-women/
• 21 Reasons Weight Training Should Be Mandatory Exercise After 50: https://www.flippingfifty.com/weight-training-should-be-mandatory/

Resources:

• STRONGER: https://www.flippingfifty.com/getstronger

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What is Glutathione and How Can it Support Menopause? What is glutathione? Not to be confused with glutamine, it may be something you are less aware of and it certainly doesn’t make it into conversations where creatine and amino acids are. So is glutathione one of the cool kids you need to hang out with?

In 2019, glutathione became a regular in my refrigerator. I was in need of detoxing from mold exposure and using everything in my arsenal including charcoal, sauna, only pure filtered water, reducing food sensitivities in order to allow my body to heal. If you don’t quite know how to answer, what is glutathione, my guest today will clear it all up!

My Guest:

Dr. Gina Nick is a world-renowned Naturopathic Physician, Researcher, and Formulator based in Newport Beach, California. With a dedication to holistic wellness, she’s known for her expertise in treating autoimmune diseases, addiction recovery, anxiety, and more.

After graduating from medical school, she became the Director of Research for a leading supplement company. She also held the roles of Executive Healthcare Consultant and President Emeritus of the California Naturopathic Doctors Association. She is the Founder and Director of Healthbridge. Her practice was awarded “Top Medical Practice 2017,” a testament to her commitment to excellence. She’s licensed in both California and Hawaii and is excited to share her journey with you…

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• What is glutathione?[00:05:15]
• Why is sugar a problem?[00:24:00]
• How can Glutathione help women going through menopause or dealing with muscle, bone and brain health?[00:13:34]
• Glutathione was first on my radar during mold exposure in 2019… what’s its role in helping detox?[00:07:18]
• How does glutathione support inflammation?[00:13:05]

Connect with Dr. Gina:

• https://www.bestdailyever.com

On Social:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bestdailyever and https://www.instagram.com/drginanick
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bestdailyever and https://www.facebook.com/drginahealing
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/bestdailyever and https://twitter.com/drginanick

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Detoxifying Your Body from the Damage of Diets in Menopause:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/damage-of-diets/ * Is Mold the Reason for Your Weight Gain?

https://www.flippingfifty.com/your-weight-gain/ * How chronic inflammation can interfere with your best life after 50!

https://www.flippingfifty.com/chronic-inflammation/

Resources:

• Best Daily Ever Pixie Sticks: https://www.flippingfifty.com/pixiesticks
• Sauna: https://www.flippingfifty.com/sauna

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Training for adventure retreats, aka, bucket list experiences is so much more motivating and fun than routing strength training for bone density or lose belly fat. Some might focus on fitness goals, while others are drawn to living life to the fullest through challenging adventures. So who are you?

You don’t have to pick a side to decide if this episode is for you or not. Many, if not all, will experience heat in summer, some humidity, some altitude. This may happen during climate change where you live or when you travel..

In this episode, I will give you what it takes to prepare for adventure retreats, highlighting the importance of training for demanding experiences.

Key to success is trusting a coach with experience in similar adventures and coaching. Understanding the key elements of training and how to start. I’ll share with you some insider points for preparing retreat attendees for altitude in June in Colorado and in September at the Grand Canyon.

They bring unique challenges. Similar to the 8 Iron distance triathlons I’ve done, going from flatland to altitude or to sea level with heat and humidity from a cold dry climate. It’s all about understanding the stress you’ll be under, how to prepare for it muscularly, biomechanically, and biologically.

Questions We Answer in this Episode:

• How to train for altitude at flat [00:13:30]
• How to train for heat or humidity in cool or dry climates [00:13:50]
• How to fuel for high intensity [00:23:30]
• What is high intensity [00:28:30]

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• TRAVELING ALONE AFTER 50 OR WITH FRIENDS? Safe vs Not Safe: https://www.flippingfifty.com/traveling-alone-after-50/
• 78 Year Old Endurance Athlete Training for Triathlons: https://www.flippingfifty.com/endurance-athlete/
• Take a Walk with a 57-year old Book Author | Just 1400 Miles: https://www.flippingfifty.com/take-a-walk/

Resources:

• Stronger: https://www.flippingfifty.com/getstronger
• Flipping 50 2025 Retreats: https://www.flippingfifty.com/product-category/coaching-programs/

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The Real Reason for Migraines and Constipation in Menopause Do you experience migraines and constipation in menopause? Did they begin with more frequency during perimenopause? Why does this happen? Are these common or is it just me?

Migraine and constipation can be symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. These may get in the way of our daily lives and even affect our mood and behavior. Today, ladies, let’s talk about why these happen, how we can prevent these issues and what to do when they hit. We’re going to talk about what is going on with our bodies during this time and discuss what are the effective ways to get relief. Tune in to get some helpful insights on how to avoid or cure migraines and constipation. Together, let’s heal and control our well-being during this phase of life!

My Guest:

Diane Ducarme is a master in migraine investigation, combining Eastern Medicine, Western science, and technology to uncover the root causes of migraines. With an MBA from Harvard, fluency in 7 languages, and dual studies in TCM, she focuses on the power of functional foods, adding rather than eliminating. Diane hosts the "Migraine Heroes" podcast and leads Nectar Health in pioneering migraine relief and wellness.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• How do migraines, vertigo and dizziness evolve in perimenopause and menopause?[00:13:20]
• Why are women more constipated in perimenopause and menopause?[00:15:54]
• Does constipation relate to migraines in perimenopause and menopause?[00:28:01]
• What are the traps to not fall into when tackling constipation?[00:32:27]
• Can some migraine solutions exacerbate constipation?[00:22:39]
• What are quick fixes to address constipation and migraines in this stage of life?[00:16:37]

Connect with Diane:

• Website: https://www.mynectarhealth.com/
• App: https://apps.apple.com/app/id6446701680

On Social:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mynectarhealth
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/migraineheroes
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mynectarhealth
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mynectarhealth

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Identify the Reason for Your Headaches and Migraines: https://www.flippingfifty.com/headaches-and-migraines/
• Midlife Gut Solutions from Bloat to Colitis and Crohn’s: https://www.flippingfifty.com/gut-solutions/

Resources:

• Taking the free online test: https://nectarhealth.typeform.com/migraine-test

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Things I Wish More Women Over 40 Knew About Exercise This is what I wish more women over 40 knew about exercise and that it starts when women are teenagers. So, I’ll start there.

I’ve worked with women for 40 years in private sessions, partner sessions, group sessions, with both husbands and wives, and with 17-year-old volleyball players and 14-year-old golfers, with pregnant women, those who recently had breast implants and those who wanted to lose weight and were already a size two and those who needed to and were a size 20. I’ve done thousands of fitness tests and consultations and trained trainers and fitness instructors to do the same.

I have seen a big slice of what women, including fitness instructors and trainers, think about themselves, their bodies and exercise. I’ve seen exercise be a way to burn off cookies and earn dinner or not. I’ve seen exercise be addictive and despised.

What I wish more girls over 10 knew about exercise is that the women to aspire to be like were more like those represented at the Paris Olympics than the runways in New York. That fast and strong and fit and unapologetic about winning or wanting to is not something that stays with their younger years.

Things I Wish More Women Over 20 Knew About Exercise * The confidence you want comes easier strong vs skinny. * The window for most easily laying down bone density is still open: use it * The secret to looking and feeling good and healthier babies someday is in the weight room. * Get a smart scale and understand the value of knowing skeletal muscle, body fat percent together with weight. * A 20-something woman who can do a pull up is more likely to be a 50-something woman who is aging like a badass.

Things I Wish More Women Over 30 Knew About Exercise

• Strength will help balance your hormones if you change your workouts with your monthly cycle
• Get a baseline bone density scan at least and a hormone level.
• Right now, you’re making your next 60 years better or worse
• Oh, and there is still time to get that pull up that your menopause self will thank you for.

Things I Wish More Women Over 40 Knew About Exercise

• There’s a chance of losing 27% of your muscle from early to late stages of perimenopause but isn’t inevitable if you’re resistance training and maintaining protein.
• Measure your success by your handgrip, your skeletal muscle mass, body composition and waist measurement, not simply by the scale.
• Walking and weight training together may be two of the most powerful components for supporting your hormone balance (and avoiding muscle loss, fat and specifically belly fat gains).

Things I Wish More Women Over 50 Knew About Exercise

• Strength and muscle losses can accelerate significantly during the menopause transition. That’s the last two years of perimenopause and first two post menopause. Prioritize strength training and recovery time and habits to help it.
• Bone density losses also accelerate from between 1-3% prior to 3-5 % during the 2-4 years that are the MT.

Things I Wish More Women Over 60 Knew About Exercise * Aging causes an accelerated loss of muscle and strength at 60 and a slowing of metabolism, if you don’t offset it with strength training (and protein). * You don’t need to reduce intensity; you need to increase it. * You may need more recovery time (between exercises, between sets, between high intensity life and workouts, and between workouts. * If you haven’t added power, agility, dynamic balance, mobility training regularly to an existing strength training program, now is the time to start. * You lose fast twitch muscle twice as fast with age as you do slow. So only moving slow in exercise is actually accelerating aging and increasing risk for falls compared to using fast twitch regularly. * Resistance training is indeed everything that resists gravity but using external loads that require few repetitions with heavier weights to reach or get close to muscular fatigue is still most tied to bone density, metabolism, and strength. * Overdoing exercise frequency will cause couch compensation that causes you to lose a critically important “total energy expenditure.” * Underdoing exercise frequency or intensity costs you the boost in strength and metabolism and potentially bone density and total energy expenditure that you want for body composition, and reduction of health risks. * You’re not too old for bHRT if you want to consider it. (Click here to know more about bHRT) * Falls over 60 can be devastating. But most often they occur in women who don’t lift weights, don’t train power, agility/reaction skills. (50% of women over 60 who fall don’t walk again) * You will tolerate volume better than your perimenopause self. So adding another HIIT day or another set of resistance exercise could be very beneficial and you’ll tolerate it.

Things I wish more women over 70 knew about exercise

• It’s not just muscle and bone or balance and avoiding falls, you also help your brain fire better and improve sleep.
• Just because you “don’t need to lose weight” doesn’t mean you don’t need to exercise.
• Blood sugar levels, mood, memory, will also improve.
• Your ability to stay in your home and drive a car and remain as independent as you like are directly related to your muscle strength.

Things I wish more women over 80 knew about exercise

• There’s still time. The research has been clear for more than 40 years, that even 90-somethings beginning to strength train, gain strength and benefit.
• You can start now even if you’ve never done it before.
• Risk of injury is still greater in those who don’t strength train compared to those who do.
• If women over 40 knew about exercise what I do, they’d know that until very recently there has been very little research done featuring them as subjects. They’d know it’s not great skincare, or staying out of the sun, or great sleep is the secret to looking and feeling younger and carrying confidence into every decade.

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• What They Don’t Teach Women About Strength Training and should: https://www.flippingfifty.com/teach-women-about-strength-training/
• 21 Reasons Weight Training Should Be Mandatory Exercise After 50: https://www.flippingfifty.com/weight-training-should-be-mandatory/
• 20 Reasons Strength Training Should Be Mandatory for Everyone Over 29: https://www.flippingfifty.com/strength-training/

Resources:

• Stronger: https://www.flippingfifty.com/getstronger

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Busting Menopause Myths Estrogen causes breast cancer, gaining weight and belly fat which are inevitable… Today we are busting menopause myths just like this.

In this episode, I interview a pair of authors offering refreshing insight to midlife and beyond women who are often sheltered from all the health options available to them and misinformed, or incompletely informed.

Stay tuned to the end, if fat burning is something you want to know more about … and I know.. Trick question right? Kristin and Maria present the concept of fat burning and becoming fat adapted in a way that makes it easy to understand why what you’ve been trying to do may not be working for you .. at all.

So join us in this episode for the menopause myth busting intel in this book and what’s inside which goes far beyond the valuable practical tips you’ll get from it, and why it’s about time you had this book.

Busting Menopause Myths from HRT to Supplements My Guests:

Kristin Johnson, JD, BCHN FNTP is Board Certified in Holistic Nutrition through the National Association of Nutrition Professionals, is a Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner through the Nutritional Therapy Association, and is a “recovering corporate attorney.”

Maria Claps, FDN-P is a certified health coach through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and is a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner.

Together, Kristin and Maria have developed a deep specialty in perimenopause and menopause health through clinical mentorships with multiple medical doctors and naturopaths specializing in hormone replacement therapy.

They completed advanced training in functional testing modalities which they use in their clinical practice educating and helping midlife women. They created a professional training program for other midlife women’s health practitioners.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• What prompted you to write the book? [00:03:51]
• Let’s talk about the Priority … [00:04:26]
• What did you mean by Menopause Gold Rush? [00:09:45]
• You write about informed consent, what does that mean? [00:23:13]
• What is oxidative priority in regards to burning fat in menopause? [00:35:15]

Was this episode on busting menopause myths helpful to you? If so, would you please share it with a friend or three?

Connect with Maria and Kristin:

https://www.amazon.com/Great-Menopause-Myth-Mastering-Uncomfortable/dp/0760388261/ref=rvi_d_sccl_1/139-8017262-8747407?content-id=amzn1.sym.f5690a4d-f2bb-45d9-9d1b-736fee412437&geniuslink=true&pd_rd_i=0760388261&pd_rd_r=fe302897-7298-465e-b45d-5c4166ffbbea&pd_rd_w=Nvra4&pd_rd_wg=NoZNj&pf_rd_p=f5690a4d-f2bb-45d9-9d1b-736fee412437&pf_rd_r=K2X5K9NCYC8WDAVX92PS&psc=1&tag=namespacebran417-20

https://wiseandwell.me/

On Social:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wise_and_well_/

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• A Hormone Therapy Roadmap: What, When & Why: https://www.flippingfifty.com/hormone-therapy-roadmap/
• What Women Need to Know about Hormone Replacement Therapy: https://www.flippingfifty.com/what-to-know-about-hrt/
• 4 Menopause Myths that Persist: https://www.flippingfifty.com/4-menopause-myths/

Resources:

• Stronger: https://www.flippingfifty.com/getstronger
• 5 Day Flip: https://www.flippingfifty.com

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Measuring fitness in menopause is complicated. I’m going to take a stab at this and let you know that if you’re not measuring beyond your weight, body composition, inches, and muscle mass at regularly scheduled intervals, you’re doing a disservice.

We get all up in the business of burning calories (wrong goal), having it “feel hard” (sometimes the wrong goal), and forget to measure strength (did you see Olympians test grip strength??? Impressive!) and how well your training is actually helping your HEART.

Let’s go there.

Yes, you want to gain lean muscle. It immediately improves your body composition and takes stress from your heart and joints. It also boosts your metabolism, energy, and blood sugar balance, decreasing insulin resistance and your metabolic health improves.

But your heart fitness IS important.

Mistakes in Measuring Fitness in Menopause and Beyond.

You don’t want or need to know your pace or that you did a mile while you’re doing it. Why? It gives you a false impression of “good” “bad” and means zero. When you’re going uphill, you’re going to go slower. When you’re doing an interval workout you also won’t go as fast as when you’re simply walking a steady state (because to do an interval right you should be recovering completely and that means going slower than your steady pace).

Only if you personally are doing the exact same trail or route you’ve done and you’re trying to go as fast as you can, would that be important.

Not knowing what your heart rate being higher or lower than normal exertion heart rates mean you may interpret it incorrectly as “good” or “bad.”

Measuring Fitness in Menopause During Heart Rate Zone Training

Unless you’ve been tested … on the treadmill or bike by an experienced trainer who can monitor your stages and interpret results… the zones shown are based on “average.”

For adults over 40, age-related predictions underestimate where you should be. You’re then going to get a red flag when potentially you shouldn’t.

On an interval day, you’re not “working too hard” simply because your breathlessness exceeds some arbitrary heart rate not based on you. If it doesn’t feel like a fit, get tested. (more below)

But on a recovery day, you absolutely could be working too hard even if you “feel fine.”

All signs should be assessed, not just one.

How do I know this?

Less from 40 years of exercise physiology education (and 25 as an educator/master trainer of other trainers)…

And more from time training as a triathlete.

From day 1 that I decided I wanted to be (I was 20 working at a health club in the south my summers in college) to the point I actually did begin training (I thank 4-0 for making me take action), I was working with a science-geek coach who daylighted/moonlighted as an engineer at a university and a USAT coach to some pros as well as age-group weirdos like me who went to the country club pool… to swim laps, got up at 3am at USAG (golf) events with my son to run miles in the dark before his tee-time. You get the idea.

Had I not experienced the ability to test both in clinical settings (I did years of VO2 max testing on students every semester after having done it myself in undergrad and grad school) and more accessible predicted and associative zone testing that can be done using Heart Rate monitors and treadmill protocols to arrive at personal zones, I would have severely UNDER or OVER trained. My post here is to help you avoid doing that. And avoid what you THINK is ideal based on the “peer pressure” from social media that may be less supportive than it is distractive.

Measuring Fitness in Menopause (what we think)

• Always working as hard as possible when exercising
• Completely relying on “feels like” for recovery status between sessions
• Getting heart rate high in a long endurance workout
• The more intervals the better
• Doing weightlifting and cardio intervals alternately
• It feels hard
• It makes me lose weight

Measuring Fitness in Menopause and beyond (What is Really Good)

• Knowing how hard to push for 4 mins vs 30 seconds
• Knowing how to do a recovery day and keep heart rate low
• Not allowing heart rate to creep up during a recovery workout
• Using high intensity intervals on specific days
• Reaching muscle fatigue with a muscle-specific workout (followed by 48 hrs min recovery)
• Reaching breathlessness in interval training when you’re fresh for optimal speed, resistance or power (depending on the mode)
• Understanding bike, rowing, and swim heart rates will differ from on your feet but breathlessness doesn’t lie

The bottom line is this…

A good fitness program improves:

• strength
• absolute skeletal muscle
• body composition (decreases body fat)
• energy levels throughout the day
• speed
• heart rate response at the same effort level (lower heart rate at same effort over time)
• heart rate recovery rate after exercise

So, if you aren’t TESTING, before you start and periodically, let’s get that started right now, shall we?

[in our member’s area there is a self-test protocol that we’ll help you interpret if you share results]

Doing a more comprehensive test (like the one using stages of speed and or incline or both) to record heart rate response is the way to determine heart rate zones.

The following options won’t do that. But they will give you a way to gather information on how you’re doing now, compared to averages or not.

A Few Facts on Measuring Fitness in Menopause:

Heart rate on a bike will be about 10 beats lower than corresponding “work” on your feet (treadmill). So, if you test on a bike, you need to know “bike heart rates” vs “treadmill heart rates.”

Want to Test So You Can Measure Fitness in Menopause and Beyond ?

VO2 testing is uncomfortable. The last time I did it was December 2018. You don’t have to go to a university, but chances are if they have an exercise physiology lab or an extensive athletic program, you can test there. Other fitness and health pros also offer this, most often on a bike. But if that feels like too much or too expensive, you can establish a way to learn if your fitness is working.

If you have no access to protocol [our member’s area or an experienced coach who can do this] start here:

Keep it simple.

1. What is your resting heart rate? First thing in the morning. (average of 3 days)
2. What is your heart rate before this test?
3. Do a mile walk test. (For a more elaborate test that was originally published in 1987, see the Rockport Walking Test, see the resource below). Do it on a flat course that you can repeat exactly. Even though we all have the ability now to do a mile and know, it needs to be repeatable. Same start, same course. A track would be ideal. A treadmill is not.

When it’s a test you should be pushing it to find out what your fastest walk pace is. Without your feet leaving the ground (this is running), what is your mile walk time? 4. What’s your final heart rate? 5. Then how soon does your heart rate come back to the rate you were pre-test? Record that time.

Measuring Fitness in Menopause

Whether you do this simple test or you use the ROCKPORT test you begin to understand all of the components that measure true fitness. Skinny is not fit. Fat is not unfit. There are health complications with each for both now and later.

What you want, no matter your weight, is strong, and getting so will improve your heart too.

Now you have data at least to measure whether your fitness is improving.

And yes, there is a way to compare yourself to others, however, right now that’s not the point. The point is YOU. Is you now fitter than you last year? Is you in six months – let’s make a date to do this again by putting it on your calendar – more fit than now?

Look, life happens. A virus may happen, as I write, we just saw that again globally at the Olympics. Your smooth sailing life will have babies and funerals and interruptions. But from time to time check in and consider how it’s going for you.

And how refreshing to actually stop looking at weight and fat for just a second and look at your heart.

References:

https://www.verywellfit.com/rockport-fitness-walking-test-calculator-3952696

Kim K, Lee HY, Lee DY, Nam CW. Changes in cardiopulmonary function in normal adults after the Rockport 1 mile walking test: a preliminary study. J Phys Ther Sci. 2015;27(8):2559-61. doi:10.1589/jpts.27.2559

Note: the Rockport test suggests you can use a treadmill. I prefer the outdoors. The treadmill is doing a degree of the work for you moving that belt. However, if it’s the only safe option, do the pre and post test in the same way. Try not to hold on (this should be true always! And definitely don’t hold on and lean back!)

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• What are Heart Rate Zones and How are They Helpful Over 50?https://www.flippingfifty.com/heart-rate-zones/
• Muscle and Body Composition in Menopause: https://www.flippingfifty.com/muscle-and-body-composition-in-menopause/
• 9 Ways to Measure Fat & Body Composition | Best & Worst: https://www.flippingfifty.com/measure-fat/

Resources:

• Want to comment? If you’re not in a program or our membership, join the Flipping50Insiders Facebook group where we’ll hear you!
• Stronger: https://www.flippingfifty.com/getstronger

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50 miles for 50th bday?

Running long in midlife isn’t the first thing (or second) I recommend to women. But what happens when your peak estrogen levels were at least a decade ago? What if you’ve got a crazy goal, want to go for it, and you know how to interpret reactions and respond accordingly?

Come on this unique trail as I interview a friend and colleague around her idea of a fun birthday party that not all of us will appreciate the same way.

My Guest:

Margaret Floyd Barry is a functional nutritionist, author, speaker, educator and advocate of optimal health through nutrition of adult life. Seeing family members suffer the effects of chronic illness from a young age, Margaret helps others find a better way back to optimal health and wellbeing.

Margaret worked on complex cases of autoimmune, including her own. She established a powerful system for restoring health by addressing the root cause of illness. Margaret teaches fellow practitioners the proven system with life-changing results through Restorative Wellness Solutions, which has trained and certified over 1200 qualified health practitioners worldwide. She is the author of Eat Naked: Unprocessed, Unpolluted and Undressed Eating for a Healthier, Sexier You and The Naked Foods Cookbook.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• What inspires a woman to run 50 miles for her 50th birthday? [00:05:30]
• How long have you been running? [00:09:00]
• Where are you in the menopause timeline? How much has that changed your training and recovery? [00:21:20]
• How do you train for a 50 mile run differently than your previous marathons? What was the result? [00:21:20]
• What were the key dietary strategies you used? What are the results? Were they different in the past? [00:26:50]
• How did you manage autoimmune disease and training at this level, without triggering an all out autoimmune flare? [00:32:20]
• How did recovery play into things? [00:26:10]
• Would you do it again? Does longer appeal to you? [00:40:20]
• Did training take a toll on energy for work or relationships? [00:24:40]

Connect with Margaret:

• www.margaretfloydbarry.com

On Social:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/margaretfloydbarry or https://www.instagram.com/restorativewellnesssolutions/

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• 78 Year Old Endurance Athlete Training for Triathlons: https://www.flippingfifty.com/endurance-athlete/
• Ironman Dexter Yeats About Being 72, Unstoppable, and Unique: https://www.flippingfifty.com/ironman-dexter-yeats-72-unstoppable-unique/
• Take a Walk with a 57-year old Book Author | Just 1400 Miles: https://www.flippingfifty.com/take-a-walk/

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This simple list of non-exercise ways to boost fat burn has turned my YouTube channel subscribers upside down! Meaning they’ve flipped over them! It’s crazy! Secretly my hope is that YOU are using these as extra insurance, and not your only line of defense.

1. Increase Water Intake to Boost Hydration
2. Increase Protein Intake
   1. Thermogenic effect of food - almost 30 percent of it goes to digest and breakdown
   2. Muscle protein synthesis even - 30% of it toward digestion
   3. Even without resistance training there is a muscle protein synthesis
3. Sleep More Consistently
   1. Release of testosterone and growth hormone
   2. Same wake time is the fastest way to reset your circadian rhythm
4. Limit or Eliminate Alcohol
   1. Metabolizing alcohol all other metabolism stops (food gets stored as fat)
   2. It’s metabolized as sugar, increasing blood sugar then insulin
   3. The after effect is as bad: negatively impacts sleep, causes blood sugar issues the next day
   4. Negatively impacts hydration levels
   5. Decision-making skills are gone so making good choices is hard!
5. Move More Exercise Less
   1. The variability between N.E.A.T. is up to 2000 calories a day between those who are active and sedentary. While you might burn 300 calories or even 600 in an ambitious workout, beware … it also can come back to bite some midlife women but having them sit more than ever.
   2. Experts categorize NEAT into three main subcomponents comprising body posture, ambulation, and all other spontaneous movements including “fidgeting”

5 Non Exercise Ways to Boost Fat Burning

References:

• Baseline drinking water consumption and changes in body weight and waist circumference at 2-years of follow-up in a senior Mediterranean population: https://www.clinicalnutritionjournal.com/article/S0261-5614(21)00264-8/fulltext
• Weight gain during the menopause transition: Evidence for a mechanism dependent on protein leverage: https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1471-0528.17290
• International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1186/s12970-017-0177-8
• Effect of alcohol on postmeal fat storage: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8116538/#:~:text=Alcohol addition (A) or isoenergetic,metabolized (0-6h).
• Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis in Human Energy Homeostasis: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279077/
• Effect of resistance training volume on body adiposity, metabolic risk, and inflammation in postmenopausal and older females: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095254623000972
• Combined Aerobic and Strength Training and Energy Expenditure in Older Women: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/239733834_Combined_Aerobic_and_Strength_Training_and_Energy_Expenditure_in_Older_Women

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• 5 Keys for Building Muscle After Menopause | More Fat Burning & Fat Loss: https://www.flippingfifty.com/building-muscle-after-menopause/
• Is Zone 2 Best for Fat Burning in Menopause https://www.flippingfifty.com/fat-burning-in-menopause/
• Midlife Weight Loss: Burn Body Fat, Balance Your Hormones: https://www.flippingfifty.com/midlife-weight-loss/

Resources:

• 10 Day Hot Not Bothered Challenge: https://www.flippingfifty.com/hnb-challenge
• STRONGER Tone & Define: https://www.flippingfifty.com/getstronger
• TEDx Talk: https://www.flippingfifty.com/TEDx

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Natural Solutions to Restorative Sleep in Menopause Restorative sleep in menopause can be elusive, I think we can all agree on that! Whether perimenopause or post, fluctuating hormones combined with chaos that midlife can be, can kiss sweet dreams goodbye.

But it’s the exact opposite of what you need to most easily make weight loss or muscle gain and focus easy to access again.

My Guest:

Dr. Eric Dorninger is a Registered Naturopathic Doctor and Licensed Acupuncturist, graduated from Bastyr University, after earning a B.A. in Kinesiology from the University of Colorado and completed EMT training in New Jersey.

In 2005, he founded Roots and Branches Integrative Health Care in Boulder, Colorado, focusing on uncovering the root causes of chronic illnesses. He is a certified Shoemaker practitioner, specializing in mold and biotoxin illness. He is dedicated to differential diagnosis and personalized treatment plans, emphasizing the importance of identifying underlying causes of illness.

In addition to his private practice, he teaches functional medicine, practices Jiu-Jitsu, skis, and supports his children's health journey.

He specializes in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases such as:

• Hashimoto’s
• Lupus
• Mold and Biotoxin Illness (CIRS)
• Autoimmune disease
• Chronic fatigue
• Gastrointestinal concerns
• Mood disorders
• Cardiovascular disease
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Hormone balance
• Chronic pain
• Neurological conditions
• Food sensitivities/intolerances
• Complex chronic disease

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• Why is sleep harder for some with age or specifically with menopause? [00:39:00]
• How do we set up for a restorative night of sleep? [00:35:00]
• As we get older, what is important to ensure healthy sleep? [00:34:50]
• What is the science behind CBD aiding in both falling asleep and staying asleep through the night? [00:24:30]
• Tell us about the CBD you recommend and why? [00:27:00]
• How does healthy sleep impact health overall? [00:10:00]

Connect with Dr Dornigner :

https://www.flippingfifty.com/blueskycbd

Code: FLIPPING for discount on first order

On Social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drericdorninger/ and https://www.instagram.com/blueskycbd/

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Is CBD the Answer? How Women Use CBD to Manage Menopause:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/how-women-use-cbd/

Woman to Woman: How to Get Your Best Sleep in Midlife:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/how-to-get-your-best-sleep/

Sleep Yourself Productive | Better Sleep Well Rested Days:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/sleep-yourself-productive/

Resources:

Glucose Monitor: https://www.flippingfifty.com/myglucose

LOOKEE® Ring: https://www.lookeetech.com/

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Research about menopause right now is finally beginning to really get its moment. Or is it? What’s something you can trust? And what’s stated as “science-based” or “science-backed”?

What can you trust and what should you question?

Think of this as a crash course in Research 101. In fact, I think that was a required course my first semester in grad school. The content is as important or more today when you have influencers talking about studies, in fact sponsoring their own to back up their products. You see both experts and influencers on line and are left to sort out one from the other yourself.

Questions We Answer in this Episode:

• How to know if a source is credible? [00:36:00]
• What determines a peer-reviewed journal? [00:18:50]
• Are all studies on PubMed or Science Direct peer-reviewed? [00:36:00]
• Are all studies from Google Scholar (AI) peer-reviewed? [00:37:00]
• What makes some research studies better than others? [00:04:50]

In short this will be a bit like a vocabulary lesson so you can filter news regarding research about menopause for yourself.

The spoiler alert is this: the gold standard in health research are those that are interventional, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies.

In the planning stages and then results and discussion these things will be considered and determined:

• Reliability is at least 3 independent experiments giving the same results.
• Relevant to you with subjects just like you.
• Recency is often within the last 10 years with exception
• Validity is about how well findings apply to those not in the study. (discussion is about communicating things that may interfere with it being applicable to a diagnosis or a protocol or treatment)
• Confidence level aiming at 95% confidence level requires a result across a large number of subjects to show it
• Sample size A good maximum sample size is often around 10% of the population, as long as it doesn't exceed 1,000 people. At least 100 subjects. Larger than 30, less than 500. The answers vary considerably.

What you should expect:

• Written for professionals
• Authors names and a contact included
• Bibliography included
• Peer-reviewed journal

How do you know if it’s a peer-reviewed journal?

Go to the journal (not the article to find out). The journal website includes information for authors about the publication process. A board of experts review and evaluate before acceptance for publication in peer-reviewed journals.

Two Additional Terms to Know Regarding Research About Menopause Qualitative - descriptive is more loosely gathered data that might be polls or surveys and interpreting the responses without giving a percentage. This might also come from a review of literature which isn’t actually conducting a study but is reviewing a pool of studies to seek common denominators about the research methods and results.

Quantitative - based on numbers and is going to result in for instance a percent of muscle lost on average each decade, or over 80% of women describe libido issues.

Mixed - including both

There are many types of studies starting with observational and interventional.

Observational studies look at what effects habits, beliefs or events affect certain outcomes.

For instance, a study that reported an association between increased meat eating and cancer. However, the study was conducted based on a survey where participation was compensated. Participants in such studies may be motivated by the ease of collecting $20 for reporting their habits but might be consuming hot dogs and bologna and Spam, unlike you who are choosing other options that are organic, grass-fed and finished wild options.

The headlines? Satisfy a great need by the media to get views, clicks and engagement.

Interventional studies, just as it sounds, provide some kind of imposed change to subjects. For instance, providing an example on research about menopause, a study published in Obesity on post menopausal women in a weight loss program divided groups into long sleepers vs short sleepers. They compared results from the change in sleep while other conditions (eating and exercise) were controlled.

Though this may not fall directly under current research about menopause, a recently published study in JAMA in July 2024 found older adults (av age 71) who lifted heavy weights for 1 year retained their strength for 4 years while those doing moderate weight training did not. This was a randomized longitudinal study.

Types of Research About Menopause Longitudinal vs Cross sectional

Looking at the same co-hort over time checking in periodically to see what results occur vs look at different segments of the population one time.

In research about menopause, perhaps none is more well-known than The Nurses Health Study. It is a longitudinal observational study looking at the effects of certain habits over time.

Some of Dr Loren Fishman’s studies on 12 yoga poses have been longitudinal studies showing increase in bone density over time. Some also were retrospective looking back at what happened in women who had done yoga more than every other day. New studies that would take specific poses and see which of those were most beneficial would be prospective, or going forward in time.

Active treatment vs placebo studies are where all receive the treatment vs some subjects receive the actual drug or treatment and others receive a placebo sugar pill. Sometimes this is an exercise intervention. Where the actual protocol tested is resistance training exercise and the placebo also does resistance training but without protocol

Control group means that a subset group does not have the treatment or follow protocol. For instance in Fishman’s studies an experimental group would have done the yoga poses and a control group was also post menopausal but did not do the yoga poses.

Open vs Blind/Double Blind: everyone knows who is in which group (experimental, placebo or control) vs subjects or researchers don’t know vs neither researchers nor subjects know which is which.

Randomized control vs case control

References:

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6188693/#:~:text=The validity of a research,associations%2C interventions%2C and diagnosis.
• https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2821225

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Living Longer is NOT the Goal: Research on Longevity: https://www.flippingfifty.com/living-longer/
• Science that Makes Exercise Essential for Menopause Health: https://www.flippingfifty.com/exercise-essential-for-menopause-health/
• Boost Weight Loss with Exercise and Eating Timing: Science Studies: https://www.flippingfifty.com/boost-weight-loss-with-exercise-and-eating-timing-science-studies/

Resources:

• Hot Not Bothered Challenge: https://www.flippingfifty.com/hot-not-bothered-challenge-2023/
• Stronger: https://www.flippingfifty.com/get-stronger/

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Do you want to defy aging naturally and not with botox or fillers? This is a no-judgment zone. I am guessing that if you have opted for Botox or filler, you think twice about it. Wondering about somewhere more fun to spend that $500 with no toxic effect or superficial fake and dead-giveaway that a frozen face is?

This is your episode if you love health, wellness and you want to look and feel your most beautiful.

My Guest:

Trina Felber is a Clean Beauty Expert and the Founder of Primal Life Organics, where she creates natural dental and skincare products. She empowers women to achieve youthful, radiant skin without Botox, fillers, or surgery. Through her Bold Beauty Course, she educates women on how to defy age naturally. Trina is also a best-selling author of "Beauty’s Dirty Secret" and a prominent advocate in the clean beauty movement, promoting health and wellness from the inside out.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• Why is beauty so important? [00:05:20]
• Why are signs of skin aging so hard to prevent? [00:14:50]
• What are the primary goals of women in maintaining youthful skin? [00:05:50]
• At what age does the skin naturally start to decline? [00:30:20]
• What’s the main problem with the skincare on the market? [00:24:00]
• What is the allure of botox, fillers and surgery when it comes to beauty? Are there risks? How much do they cost? [00:10:00]
• How do these procedures work and are there any ramifications to our health and long-term beauty? [00:14:00]
• What are the 5 root causes of aging skin? [00:14:30]
• Are there any long-term natural treatments? [00:11:30]

Connect with Trina and attend her webinar:

• https://www.flippingfifty.com/boldbeautyworkshop

Start the Course:

• https://www.flippingfifty.com/boldbeauty

Code: Flipping50

On Social:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TrinaFelber/
• IG: https://www.instagram.com/trinafelber
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@trina.felber.cleanbeauty
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/trina-felber
• X: https://x.com/realtrinafelber

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Are Your Mitochondria Aging Too Fast? | Slow Down to Energy Up:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/aging-too-fast/

• Glowing Skin After 50: How to Get It and Keep It:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/glowing-skin/

• The Most Unsuspecting Motivation Source | C60 30-Day Follow Up:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/motivation-source/

Resources:

• 10-Day Hot Not Bothered Challenge: https://www.flippingfifty.com/hnb-challenge
• STRONGER 12-Week course: https://www.flippingfifty.com/getstronger

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The short answer is yes. The long answer here in this episode is how.

Using a weighted vest with osteoporosis comes up frequently as a question. Whether or not you have osteoporosis, stay with me, as I will talk about the overall benefits and science that’s been out since at least 2000, perhaps as long as I’ve been using my weighted vest.

Questions I’ll Answer in this Episode:

• Can you use a weighted vest with osteoporosis? [00:06:20]
• If so, how do you get started safely? [00:09:30]
• What weight should you be using? [00:39:00]
• What if you have already fractured? [00:06:30]
• What if you have chronic upper back and neck pain? [00:40:20]

Within this episode I’ll show some images of my weighted vest and what you want to look for. They’re so much better now than they used to be! It was an injury weighting (see what I did there?) to just put one on two decades ago. And they definitely were not made for women.

I’ve been lecturing about osteoporosis and osteopenia since 1995. That first adult education class I taught was the first time I left my house without my infant son, I think!

Back then I had to draw pictures on the chalkboard of modeling and remodeling of bone, explain these then, new terms, and what was happening.

And… we had a list of contraindications that are no longer the best science we have.

While much of the decade-by-decade steps to build bone and then prevent or slow loss still are true, the veil of doom has been lifted.

We no longer have to pop someone into bubble wrap.

But you might think so because a search online will bring up ALL the content over decades. You’ll think you are a delicate flower and that oh, my you shouldn’t do rotation ever.

And this fear mongering has to end - not that you shouldn’t be informed about how to exercise correctly and what starting and progression looks like.

Breaking Barriers Using Weighted Vest with Osteoporosis Back in 1996 I started working with one client, and then another would be diagnosed with osteoporosis. If you’re listening, Mary, you were the first to break some barriers and overcome the fear. You had a good doctor who understood the whole person, and the real way healed.

If I were concerned about osteoporosis, what I would do:

• Resistance training - progressive overload to as heavy as safely possible. My preferred is 5 x 5 reps
• Employ power in those workouts
• High Impact - at least 4 sets of 10-20 impacts a day most days of the week
• Moving during the day, breaking up sedentary periods of time, on non-exercise or recovery days (from strength training and HIIT with impact) the addition of weighted vest during walks or movement around house
• Whole Body Vibration use most days of the week (in conjunction with strength training and for balance or core exercise. (I use the Move: https://www.flippingfifty.com/powerplate and you can get 20% off with code Flipping50)
• Yoga consistently for the anti-gravity benefit of unique positions (and maintenance of mobility crucial to stability)

Though wearing a weighted vest did not have a significant positive impact on the lumbar spine, Whole Body Vibration does.

“lumbar spine BMD (MD: - 0.01; 95% CI [- 0.02, - 0.01]) reduced significantly when aerobic exercise training was used as intervention compared with RCTs that utilized resistance training, combined training, and WBV. By contrast, these analyses did not have significant effect on change in femoral neck BMD. WBV is an effective method to improve lumbar spine BMD in older PMW.”

References:

Mohammad Rahimi GR, Smart NA, Liang MTC, Bijeh N, Albanaqi AL, Fathi M, Niyazi A, Mohammad Rahimi N. The Impact of Different Modes of Exercise Training on Bone Mineral Density in Older Postmenopausal Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Research. Calcif Tissue Int. 2020 Jun;106(6):577-590. doi: 10.1007/s00223-020-00671-w. Epub 2020 Feb 13. PMID: 32055889.

Snow CM, Shaw JM, Winters KM, Witzke KA. Long-term exercise using weighted vests prevents hip bone loss in postmenopausal women. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2000 Sep;55(9):M489-91. doi: 10.1093/gerona/55.9.m489. PMID: 10995045.

Shaw JM, Snow CM. Weighted vest exercise improves indices of fall risk in older women. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 1998 Jan;53(1):M53-8. doi: 10.1093/gerona/53a.1.m53. PMID: 9467434.

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Build Bone After Osteoporosis: https://www.flippingfifty.com/build-bone-after-osteoporosis/
• Bone Health, Osteoporosis, Osteopenia Tips You’ve Never Heard: https://www.flippingfifty.com/bone-coach/
• Exercise for Bone Density Then and Now: https://www.flippingfifty.com/exercise-for-bone-density/

Resources:

• Synergee Weighted Vest Infinity Vest Workout Equipment - Body Cardio Walking or Running Vest - 20lbs: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VQLDGPS?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzvoicefor-20&creativeASIN=B07VQLDGPS&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.78VF9ZN2VWI0&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin
• Short Weighted Vest 12lbs - 50lbs: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001VE9RY4?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzvoicefor-20&creativeASIN=B001VE9RY4&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.78VF9ZN2VWI0&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ons_d_asin&th=1

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Dreaming of traveling but your friends aren’t? How can we step up our game and really get the adventure and bucketlist life we want? I challenge you… and me to take the trip we want. Traveling alone is not just a destination trip, it’s very possibly a destination to yourself. How liberating would that be.

My Guest:

Peter Mangan is a visionary leader in the positive aging sphere, bringing a wealth of experience in fostering meaningful connections with older adults and igniting their passion for travel. Inspired by his father, Peter's journey highlights the transformative power of travel for individuals in their golden years.

As the founder of Freebird Club, an emerging social and travel community for people over 50, he has created a vibrant platform where members can connect, share travel tips, arrange meet-ups, and book affordable homestays with other members. Peter is redefining the way older adults experience travel and community, making a significant impact on their lives.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• Can you share a bit about yourself and your personal journey? What inspired you to focus on positive aging and travel for older adults? [00:04:50]
• What is Freebird Club, and how can people get involved with it? [00:32:30]
• What sparked the idea for Freebird Club? Can you share a memorable story from the early days of starting it? [00:08:20]
• What has been one of the most surprising or heartwarming stories you've encountered from Freebird Club members? [00:17:50]
• How do you envision the future of Freebird Club and the positive aging movement? Are there any upcoming initiatives or projects you're excited about that our listeners should know about? [00:13:30]
• What words of encouragement would you offer to older adults who may be hesitant about traveling or joining a community like Freebird Club? [00:34:50]

And the last Question, Debra asked you! Please listen, then respond inside the Facebook group!

Connect with Peter:

https://freebirdclub.com

On Social:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FreebirdClub

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freebird.club/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@freebirdclub

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Take a Walk with a 57-year old Book Author | Just 1400 Miles:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/take-a-walk/

Inspiring Stories of Older Athletes North of Forty:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/inspiring-stories/

Ageless Aging: Believe it or Not?

https://www.flippingfifty.com/ageless-aging/

Resources:

Hot Not Bothered Challenge:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/hot-not-bothered-challenge-2023/

STRONGER 12-week program:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/get-stronger/

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Have you ever wondered if it’s possible to begin lifting heavy weights during midlife, perimenopause, or menopause? Let’s talk about how lifting can be very beneficial to your bones, connective tissues, and everyday life.

For beginners, you have to start slowly and surely, lifting until we feel that sweet spot. And for those lifting for some time now, let’s discuss the safe progression of lifting weights.

Notable notes in lifting during midlife:

1. Don’t rush going heavy. Let your connective tissues adapt.
2. Understand your muscle fatigue and know when to stop.
3. Listen to your body when to increase weights, increase reps and/or increase power.
4. Do no harm to yourself. Do not underestimate recovery. For older women or those with injuries, keep in mind the 72 hours of rest in between workouts.
5. Explore light activities during the recovery period like yoga.
6. Consider cortisol tests to check on your body.
7. Strength training beginning phase and progression is different per body.

Join me in this episode for the in-depth details on how you lift heavy, create a routine and how to progress your workout during midlife, perimenopause and menopause.

Let’s redefine what it means to age.

Coming up next week… wearing a weighted vest with osteoporosis?

Questions we answer in this episode:

• Are women in midlife supposed to be lifting HEAVY weights? [00:03:30]
• How to safely start lifting weights? [00:02:50]
• When should I start progressing my strength training? Is it better to lift heavier weights or increase more reps? [00:08:20]
• How often should I lift weights? [00:28:30]

Other Episodes You Might Like:

What They Don’t Teach Women About Strength Training and should:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/teach-women-about-strength-training/Importance of Strength Training for the Midlife Woman:https://www.flippingfifty.com/strength-training-for-the-midlife-woman/Strength Training Enough for Bones, Not Adrenal Fatigue:https://www.flippingfifty.com/strength-training-enough/

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The damage of diets, and often in midlife, a lifetime of it can be the limiting factor in your weight loss, your fitness, and your longevity. Girls start dieting as early as 13, sometimes even younger, leading to lifelong struggles with self-image.

We talk with a male trainer specializing in helping women in their 50s get in shape. Curious about his career path? So I asked and here he is. You’ll be glad you stayed for this one, and stay till the end if this resonates with you. Joe is giving away 3 months of coaching to one of our listeners and I’ll tell you how to be eligible at the end of the show.

My Guest:

Joe Hoye’s journey in health and fitness began at 13, inspired by his mother’s strength and guidance. Despite a detour in college that led to weight gain, Joe reclaimed his health through disciplined fitness and nutrition. This personal transformation drew others to seek his advice, sparking his passion for helping others.

As a former surgery technologist specializing in OBGYNs, Joe founded Hoye Fit to empower women over 40. His holistic approach to fitness goes beyond diet and exercise, integrating mindset, movement, and behavior change. Through Hoye Fit, Joe has helped thousands of women achieve balance and transformation, embodying resilience, compassion, and a commitment to their well-being.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• The Diet Detox - how to detox your body from damage of past diets [00:12:00]
• Joe’s personal journey and how he became a fitness coach [00:10:20]
• How To Have A Healthy, Fit Body After Menopause [00:18:50]
• Which exercise is best? How can you get fit and not feel deprived? [00:22:30]
• Joe’s definition of a successful mindset when it comes to health and fitness [00:30:20]

Link for 3 months of coaching in the give away: https://giveaway.hoyefit.com/flipping50

Connect with Joe: * Website: https://hoyefit.com/

On Social:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/newtritionapproach
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hoyefit/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hoyefit

Other Episodes You Might Like: * Midlife Changes with Intermittent Fasting Expert Gin Stephens: https://www.flippingfifty.com/midlife-changes/ * Figuring Out Calories You Need in Menopause: https://www.flippingfifty.com/calories-you-need-in-menopause/ * Enhancing Gut Health to Enhance Weight Loss & Muscle Strength: https://www.flippingfifty.com/gut-health/

Resources: * Hot Not Bothered Challenge: https://www.flippingfifty.com/hnb-challenge * STRONGER 12-Week program: https://www.flippingfifty.com/getstronger * Discovery Call with Debra: https://www.flippingfifty.com/wellness-coaching-for-life/

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In this episode I’m sharing my recent lab test, 23 lab tests in menopause, to be exact. I’ll share why so many, how often, what I’ll learn from them. If you’re at a loss for what to order or really, what you need and want a doctor to run this will help.

Connecting the dots is not always easy! Though I ran almost all of these as a part of writing You Still Got It, Girl! Almost a decade ago, by ordering self-directed labs and doing the research to interpret them and take actions to either follow up with a physician or to consider dietary, exercise, and natural solutions that would improve results, I recommend you utilize a physician who’s willing to and not threatened by your desire to learn more about the what, why and when for these tests.

You know how you feel and what’s right for you. Hopefully you’re not settling for less than feeling great. Signs that you’re not doing okay, in spite of your efforts include unexplained weight gain, inability to lose it, feeling lethargic/tired either on a regular basis or after exercise. Add to that insomnia, dizziness, brain fog, gut issues, and so many more.

Having a basic understanding of the tests, that often are not ordered by Western trained docs, and why you want them, may help you be a detective and an advocate for your own health.

Recent Lab Tests in Menopause Fasting Glucose

Fasting levels above 125 are indicative of diabetes. Those 100-125 indicate prediabetes. Knowing this is helpful for monitoring your habits.

A continuous blood glucose monitor can be a fantastic tool for you. https://www.flippingfifty.com/myglucose

Fasting Insulin

Metabolism issues or weight loss resistance are good reasons to check fasting insulin (beyond just fasting glucose). Insulin resistance can promote additional weight gain.

A1C

This number can indicate how well controlled sugar levels have been over the past 3 months and also can indicate a prediabetic or diabetic condition.

Serum Ferritin

Reliable indicator of body’s iron stores. Low or very high ferritin may have a condition that results in fatigue.

Vitamin D 25-Hydroxy

This is important for energy and gaining muscle, particularly fast twitch muscle, as well as energy. Falling into “norms” is under optimal levels so this one can be important for women in midlife and beyond to know.

Uric acid

Optimal levels may support antioxidant activity but too high can be linked to oxidative stress.

Vitamin A

Concentrations of uric acid and vitamin A are closely associated. This test may be used to indicate a reason why uric acid levels are high.

CRP

A major marker of inflammation. Risk of disease increases significantly with high CRP.

A Fasting Lipid Panel

Looking at cholesterol, LDL, HDL and the total/HDL ratio can tell you what’s happening in your body. It might be genetic, lifestyle or also occurring during menopause as the body generates more cholesterol to attempt to produce hormones.

Free Testosterone

This is the testosterone immediately available. Can support weight loss and improve memory and strength.

Testosterone

Elevated testosterone can lead to hair growth, acne, moodiness. But too low can lead to difficulty gaining muscle and bone density.

DHEA-S

Your precursor to the sex hormones and also an indicator of adrenal function.

Variety of Lab Tests in Menopause Estradiol

Check for optimal levels for some women, confirming they’re in menopause and for others like me doing hormone replacement, that hormone levels are optimized.

Estrone

The estrogen product after menopause.

Progesterone

Can lower post menopause and make sleep and relaxing harder.

Thyroid Hormone Tests

TSH

Released by your brain to signal your thyroid gland. It can be used to monitor dosing of your thyroid medication or as a screening test for the presence of thyroid disease.

Free T4

The thyroid makes predominately T4. Free T4 is what your body uses to make the active thyroid hormone called free T3. These are advanced biomarker tests, not routinely done, but very helpful to determine if the thyroid can be affecting how you feel.

Free T3

Symptoms (constipation, weight gain, tiredness, low libido) of low thyroid may be missed (passed off as normal or something else) unless the active thyroid hormone (free T3) is measured. High levels may indicate hyperthyroidism. Symptoms of hyperthyroidism include fatigue, anxiety, sudden weight loss, rapid heartbeat, irritability, more frequent bowel movements, difficulty sleeping, sweating and tremors. Free T3 is an advanced screening biomarker that helps screen routinely missed thyroid issues.

TPA (Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies)

Thyroid disease has become very common and we can often pick up inflammation in the thyroid years before the thyroid fails. This is important because natural interventions may help reverse the inflammation of the thyroid gland.

TA (Thyroglobulin Antibodies)

This test can be positive in people with inflammation of the thyroid gland, and it can be seen years before complete thyroid failure – giving you time to take action!

Reverse T 3

Reverse T3 is the storage form of the active thyroid hormone. Many conditions can cause you to store thyroid instead of use it as active free T3. If your reverse T3 is high then you may need to address the reasons why.

Broader Selection of Lab Tests in Menopause FSH (Follicle-stimulating hormone)

Levels of this hormone indicate phases of hormones including puberty, reproduction and menopause. Levels rise significantly after menopause. ****This test can be helpful for someone who isn’t sure what’s happening or wants to confirm levels are dropping.

SHBG (**Sex Hormone Binding Globulin) SHBG is used to keep excessive free estrogen out of the blood stream, looking at these levels can help identify if hormone control health habits can improve your overall health. Sex hormone binding globulin is a protein mainly produced by the liver, and studies show that diets high in simple sugars cause the liver to produce less SHBG. Low levels of SHBG are seen in obesity, prediabetes, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

Other Tests

Total Cortisol

Early morning cortisol screen for adrenal gland function.

4 Sample Saliva Test

Measures throughout the day to get a more accurate picture of your stress hormone pattern.

ACTH Stimulation Test

Administered by a physician to test response

Omega 3 and 3/6 Index

For muscle and joint aches and pains, and brain health, knowing your omega 3 and 6 index can help you improve overall health and decrease inflammation.

Food Sensitivity Testing

Depending on which level of comprehensive test you do, you can test for 90 common food sensitivities (or more) and learn what is low, moderate, and highly sensitive for you. Avoiding moderate and higher food sensitivities for 3 months while also taking extra care of your gut can help reduce symptoms of gas, bloating, or other digestive issues stemming from leaky gut situation. Adding probiotics, glutamine, oregano oil and foods known to support gut bacteria can all help improve the gut before attempting to reintroduce.

GI-Map

For gut issues that aren’t resolved with dietary changes, scores will tell you your gut bacteria levels and which may be out of balance so you can choose very specific probiotics to help rebalance, as you avoid foods that show moderate and high on your sensitivity results.

Other Episodes You Might Like:

When Exercise & Diet Aren’t Working: Which Lab Tests Should I Get?:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/which-lab-tests/

Adrenal Fatigue Talk with the Hip Hop Energy Doc, Tricia Pingel:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/adrenal-fatigue-talk/

Is a Food Sensitivity Getting in the Way of Your Fitness After 50?

https://www.flippingfifty.com/is-a-food-sensitivity-getting-in-the-way-of-your-fitness-after-50/

Resources:

Link to Ultimate Assessment: https://www.flippingfifty.com/store

https://www.flippingfifty.com/store/coaching-programs/private-coaching-90-min/

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How do you know you’re experiencing insulin resistance in menopause? How would you know that weight gain or belly fat may be a result of your insulin resistance? My guest today has type 1 diabetes and shares today the nuances of how to deal with midlife hormonal changes at the same time as dealing with blood sugar and insulin levels.

Insulin resistance in menopause is fairly common. If you’re aware of it, the what and why of it, you can prevent it.

My Guest: Melissa Slemp is a certified nutritional and hormone health coach and personal trainer. Founder and CEO of Abundant Health with Melissa. She helps women 40+ diagnosed with type 1 diabetes to feel more empowered and to live their best life despite their diagnosis. Melissa has lived with type 1 diabetes since she was 14 years old and has experienced how a strong foundation of health and happiness supports our relationships, career, and our beliefs to nurture us emotionally and spiritually so we can thrive with diabetes.

Questions We Answer in This Episode: * Share your type 1 diabetes diagnosis story and how hormone changes impact your day-to-day care? [00:03:40] * How does insulin resistance change as we age, and what are some key factors contributing to this phenomenon? [00:06:00] * Can you explain the role of protein in managing insulin resistance and maintaining muscle mass as we get older? [00:15:10] * How does weight training specifically impact insulin sensitivity and overall metabolic health in aging individuals? [00:14:10] * What strategies or practices do you recommend for mindful eating to support insulin sensitivity and better blood sugar control? [00:28:50] * Why is hormone testing important, particularly as we age, and how can it help individuals manage insulin resistance effectively? [00:21:20]

Connect with Melissa : https://www.abundanthealthwithmelissa.com/thrivingwithtype1diabetesafter40

On Social: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bloodsugarboss/ * Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bloodsugarbossmelissaslemp/ * Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/welcome-to-the-type-1-in-midlife-podcast-hope-filled/id1687168599?i=1000612387984 * Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/bloodsugarboss/ * Type 1 In Midlife FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/type1inmidlife * Honey Health Diabetes App: https://honeyhealth.app.link/99YDyG8QgFkZ

Other Episodes You Might Like: * Your Diabetes Risk: You’re In Control | Midlife Women: https://www.flippingfifty.com/diabetes-risk/ * Stress, Menopause, and Pre-Diabetes? Way Beyond Your Belly Fat: https://www.flippingfifty.com/pre-diabetes/ * Your Glucose Levels in Menopause with the Glucose Goddess: https://www.flippingfifty.com/glucose-levels-in-menopause/ * You Want to Balance Blood Sugar for Belly Fat Reduction: https://www.flippingfifty.com/balance-blood-sugar/

Resources: * Continuous Blood Glucose Monitor: https://www.flippingfifty.com/myglucose * Hot Not Bothered 10 Day Challenge: https://www.flippingfifty.com/hot-not-bothered-challenge-2023/ * 5 Day Flip: https://www.flippingfifty.com/5day * Membership: https://www.flippingfifty.com/cafe/

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Improve Your Mitochondria

To improve your mitochondria requires you focus a little more than on just “exercise” or “anything is better than nothing.”

First, though, let's talk about why you want to. Now, if you want a deeper conversation, I’ve got a couple resources for you. There are prior Flipping 50 episodes I’ll link to and if you love to geek out and would love 2 hour long explanations you may want to listen to Peter Attia podcasts on the topic or Rhonda Patrick episodes. They both host longer shows that for the most part many of you express you don’t have time (or patience) for but that are very deep dive.

Counter to some of the “bros” in science, I also don’t agree with Zone 2 training being the best thing for women to improve mitochondria and VO2 max, at least without understanding it.

Practices for Optimal Mitochondrial Performance:

• Regular physical activity

Base building, strength training, HIIT * Intermittent fasting or two meals a day

Times without eating * Reduce stress

Overall, stress has a negative impact on mitochondria production because it’s not an “essential” to keep you alive * Prioritize sleep

Sleep is regenerating at it’s best * Nutritional supplementation

Secret Weapons to Improve Your Mitochondria

• Mitopure / Urolithin A - Results seen in about 2 months of supplementation 500 mg a day
• NAD or CoQ10 - support energy production again, But ignores the need to to clear out poor mitochondria for the inactive (take out the trash) – which is what Urolithin A does. Improves the quality and the quantity of mitochondria. Greater resistance to fatigue, then you walk and move more spontaneously during the day, total energy expenditure increases and blood sugar improves… It's a positive domino effect.
• C60 - longevity agent, educes inflammation from oxidation and free radical damage, degeneration of cartilage, boosts immunity, hair growth, libido, hormones function better

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Are Your Mitochondria Aging Too Fast? | Slow Down to Energy Up: https://www.flippingfifty.com/aging-too-fast/

The Importance of Mitochondria | Energy, Heath, and Longevity

https://www.flippingfifty.com/mitochondria/

The Most Unsuspecting Motivation Source | C60 30-Day Follow Up:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/motivation-source/

Resources:

Energy Bits: https://www.flippingfifty.com/energybits

C60: https://www.flippingfifty.com/c60

Mitopure: https://www.flippingfifty.com/mitopure

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Rarely do we look at training for endurance or being an endurance athlete here. Today is different. This isn’t a suggestion nor a recommendation. But it is a glass ceiling lift. Whatever you think is possible, is possible. There are few 78-year-olds training for 4-5 hours on a bike or spending hours a week in the pool and on their zero gravity treadmill... preparing for one of the most daunting events in triathlon. But today’s guest is. My returning guest is a 78-year-old endurance athlete and she’s here to share her next goal. If you walk away with one thing, I hope it is that it’s never too late, you’re not too old. And if you find yourself thinking, she shouldn’t, you reconsider and do a self check about your own fear level instead.

My Guest: Dexter Yeats, age 78, but identified as 79 for Racing, as it is My Last Year in the Female 74-79 Age Group!

In the late 1970s, she began participating in triathlons. In her first race, she finished as the third female overall but was also dead last. There were few female racers back then, and no awards for women, so they received single red roses from a local grocery store. Her first Ironman was in Penticton, Canada, in 1993, where she won her age group (45-49) and qualified for KONA, finishing 10th in her age group. Life's demands limited her swimming and cycling, drawing her to Ultra Running. She ran a dozen 50-mile trail runs and attempted a few 100-mile runs, but her career as a Teamster truck driver restricted her training time, leading to some years without racing. After retiring in 2010, she moved near Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, and resumed racing at 66. She has since completed 15 more full Ironman races, totaling 16, with 10 age group wins and 5 Kona finishes. Despite a few DNFs, she remains undeterred. She has also competed in Ironman 70.3 races, qualifying for the World Championships in Australia, South Africa, and France. In 2018, she won as The World Champion in her age group (70-74) in South Africa. ASEA sponsors her, providing 'Fountain of Youth' products that help her stay healthy, recover and keep going.

Questions we answer in this episode: ● How long have you been racing? 00:08:30 ● Any plans to hang it up? 00:09:30 ● What kind of goals do you have? 00:015:40 ● Are you training by the numbers and testing or what does that look like ?00:08:20

● Do you get resistance from people who think this is too much or wonder if you should be doing this? 19:00

Thoughts about endurance training or being an endurance athlete in latter decades? Inspired? Or what are your reactions? Share them with us!

Connect with Dexter: * https://newlifesg.redoxlivewell.com/athletes/dexter-yeats

On Social: * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dexteryeats/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yeatsdexter/

Other Episodes You May Like: * Previous with Dexter Yeats Ironman Dexter Yeats About Being 72, Unstoppable, and Unique: https://www.flippingfifty.com/ironman-dexter-yeats-72-unstoppable-unique/ * My Fittest Year | My Ironman without Training: https://www.flippingfifty.com/my-fittest-year/

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One Thing I Would Change After 40 Years Working with Women in Menopause Working with women in menopause for 40 years, even before it dawned on me that’s what I was doing, I know now what I wish I’d have done differently.

I’ve never said this out loud quite like this, though I’ve hinted at it. The name Flipping 50 was taken very literally by 50% of those first hearing about it. I at first had to help some understand that 50 referred to the way we think about the second half, the way we prepare for it and look forward vs dread it. With knowledge that no two people “age anything” actually age the same, and that epigenetics or habits have more impact on aging than do our genetics, we can indeed flip 50 if we choose to. Our mission in delivery is to help women optimize their lives through optimizing the fitness they have before, during and after menopause.

Working with women in menopause, the biggest positive impact doesn’t come with helping the 6000 women a day entering menopause, or the 1.1 billion in menopause by 2025. Maybe for a moment right now. In this episode I look back at all of it and some friends, some clients, some family members… everyone of whose name has been changed.

Questions I Answer in this Episode:

• Why women don’t want to pay attention [00:03:00]
• When body composition was first measured [00:24:00]
• When we first really addressed the importance of sleep [00:28:50]
• Why we didn’t talk about sex and it could have helped [00:10:20]
• The effects of alcohol and weight, and bone patterns [00:09:20]
• What seems to matter most [00:15:40]

Working with Women In Menopause I’ve Learned… Mindset/attitude/happiness/purpose … an ultra positive effect even when lifestyle habits were mild to moderately present (no excess exercise commitment, just basics)

What I’d Change:

• Resistance training is a more central part of every woman’s workout from 30 on
• Resistance training relayed as the most important component of fitness in college
• Every university student be required to take a basic physical fitness course
• Monitoring muscle, body fat, strength and VO2 from age 30 on
• A baseline bone density scan
• Questions about digestion, elimination asked in intake sessions
• Increased awareness of skin and gut connection for women (and men)
• Increased awareness of mental health and diet connection

Challenge you:

Have a conversation with a young woman. Leave out the word “should.” Ask if she wants support.

Resources:

• Membership: https://www.flippingfifty.com/cafe
• 10-Day Challenge: https://www.flippingfifty.com/hnb-challenge

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• What They Don’t Teach Women About Strength Training and should: https://www.flippingfifty.com/teach-women-about-strength-training/
• Ageless Aging: Believe it or Not? https://www.flippingfifty.com/ageless-aging/
• Midlife Weight Loss: Burn Body Fat, Balance Your Hormones https://www.flippingfifty.com/midlife-weight-loss/

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If you have repressed metabolic syndrome your quest to lose weight in menopause faster and easier is sunk. But stay tuned to this episode.

In this Flipping 50 episode with podcast guest favorite, Stu Schaffer we talk about the #1 goal most of you tell me is yours… weight loss. More specifically weight loss in menopause. It’s stubborn, you’re tired, nothing you used to do works any more.

In the 11th year of the podcast, having interviewed thousands of guests, Stu’s episode in last year was one of the MOST downloaded of all of 2023.

My Guest: Stu Schaefer is a 20-year award-winning celebrity weight-loss coach. He specializes in helping women over 40 put their body into The Thermogenic State so they burn fat 24/7… and lose weight like they did in their 20s. For the last 20 years, Stu has helped thousands of women take control of their body, lose weight faster and easier than ever before, and ditch the dieting cycle forever.

Questions We Answer in This Episode: * What is your secret for menopause weight loss? [00:03:40] * How did you figure this out - since nobody teaches this? [00:08:00] * So how does this work? How does someone do it? [00:06:50] * Let’s remind listeners what affects whether a person is burning fat or storing fat [00:06:00] * How have you seen low-carb impact the body?[00:18:00] * What's the biggest food mistake women make? [00:17:30]

Connect with Stu: * https://www.stuschaefer.com/flipping

On Social: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stuschaefer * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stu.schaefer.5/

Other Episodes You Might Like: * Midlife Weight Loss: Burn Body Fat, Balance Your Hormones: https://www.flippingfifty.com/midlife-weight-loss/ * Monitor your FAT and MUSCLE when Losing Weight: https://www.flippingfifty.com/smart-scales

Resources: * Free Masterclass: https://www.flippingfifty.com/stu

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When it comes to protein consumption in menopause, there are several things to consider.

Even though there's no science or medical evidence to show higher (than you grew up with or are used to) protein intakes cause kidney (renal) issues, many people still believe it’s true.

What is true is or anyone who has an existing renal issue, diabetes for instance, high protein diets should be discussed with and then monitored with your physician.

Let’s back pedal to what is “high protein.” It’s very personal in interpretation. The recommended range of protein is 10-35A% of total calories. That’s a large range.

So, if you eat 2500 calories a day and consumed only 10% protein that would be 250 calories from protein. Protein contains 4 kcal per gram so that’s 62 grams of protein. If you ate 35% of your diet from protein, you’d consume 875 kcals from protein. That would be 218 grams of protein. Anywhere between 62 and 218 grams of protein is within recommended daily amounts. That’s nuts!

RDAs are actually the “minimum to prevent deficiency.” Consider the meaning of that.

Protein Consumption in Menopause The current recommended dietary allowance (RDA) to prevent deficiency in minimally active adults is 0.8 grams (g) of protein per kilogram (kg) of body weight. However, newer research suggests individuals trying to build muscle need more than this.

It also makes sense that women over 50 with greater anabolic resistance trying to build muscle mass and lose fat will want to pay special attention to their need for protein.

Consuming less protein than the body needs has been linked to decreased muscle mass. In contrast, increased protein intakes above the RDA may help increase strength and lean body mass when paired with resistance exercise.

In order to build muscle, a person must consume more protein than what is broken down. This is often referred to as a net positive nitrogen balance, as protein is high in nitrogen. That is muscle protein synthesis must be greater than muscle protein breakdown for nitrogen balance to be achieved.

According to the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, most healthy adults over 19 years old should get between 10-35% of their daily calories from protein. One gram of protein provides 4 calories.

This means that a person who eats 2,000 calories per day would need to consume between 50 and 175 grams of protein per day. Doctors generally agree that healthy adults can safely tolerate a long-term protein intake of up to 2 g per kg of body weight per day without any side effects. However, some groups of people, such as healthy, well-trained athletes, may tolerate up to 3.5 g per kg of body weight.

A 130 lb individual = 60 kg

2g per kg = 120g protein

3.5g/kg = 210g protein

Varied Protein Consumption Recommendations Exist The World Health Organization in their official report on protein stated that "the most widely quoted potential problems of a high-protein diet relate to renal function and damage, but as discussed [above] the evidence for such claims in otherwise healthy individuals does not stand up to scrutiny."

From Stanford Lifestyle Medicine Longevity: For adults aged 50+, we recommend consuming 1.2 – 1.6 grams of protein/kg of body weight per day (0.54 – 0.72 grams/pound body weight per day). For a 165-pound adult, this translates to roughly 90 – 120 grams of protein per day

To build muscle past the age of 50, we need to eat enough protein AND do weight training and consume 30 – 35 grams of protein within two hours of the workout.

Due to anabolic resistance, which increases as we age, it’s recommended to increase protein intake per meal to roughly 30 – 35 grams.

For those over 65, another study recommended 1.2 – 2.0 grams / kg of body weight per day.

Data from the Health, Aging and Body Composition study support these findings, showing that intake of animal protein (with greater content of EAA), but not plant protein, was significantly associated with the preservation of lean body mass over three years in older adults.

In dieting older adults (eating significantly below adequate caloric intake need) the loss of muscle percent was much greater in studies than in those adults consuming twice the recommended daily amount.

Subjects with the highest protein intake had 40% less muscle loss than those with lowest protein intake.

Muscle Mass, Body Composition and Protein Consumption in Menopause When the energy content of the protein source is accounted for, the caloric intake needed to meet the EAA requirements from plant sources of protein is considerably higher than the caloric intake from animal sources of protein. This is important to consider since obesity, especially with aging, is a major public health concern. Obesity is the most predominant factor limiting mobility in the elderly

For anabolic response maximal anabolic response is ~35 g/meal

For older adults it is 2x that of younger adults

The amount of total intake (with at least 35 g per meal) but not the pattern of intake matters most.

So, you could do a large protein intake at breakfast and dinner and moderate at lunch during the day. Or you could do a simple shake pre-workout followed by a high protein meal post workout and 2 additional meals

For synthesis:

• 35g + at meals
• Weight training (with adequate rest between sessions)
• Movement/physical activity
• Sleep
• Optimal stress levels

After just 5 days of bedrest older adults have reduced sensitivity to EAAs and greater muscle breakdown compared to young adults. Any illness or injury resulting in decreased muscle function, to be followed by decreased lean muscle mass and strength.

There is a significant reduced effect of EAA synthesis with age.

To maximize muscle protein accretion with resistance exercise, daily protein intakes should be approximately .7-1g per lb body weight and 35g or more per meal.

To promote lean body mass retention during weight loss, protein intakes of ~2.3–3.1 g/kg/day have been advocated. The human body is capable of digesting large quantities of dietary protein.

Protein Consumption in Menopause and Anabolic Resistance (H2) Reductions in LBM are primarily driven by reductions in postabsorptive rates of MPS and a reduced sensitivity to the presence of a protein bolus. To effectively prevent these declines in MPS during both postabsorptive and postprandial periods, daily protein intake have been recommended to be increased to ~2.3–3.1 g/kg/day, and leaner athletes may wish to aim for intakes at the higher end of this range.

130 lb = 60 kg

2.3 g/kg = 138 g/day

3.1 g/kg = 186 g/day

Anabolic resistance in postmenopausal women There is no sex difference in basal or fed muscle protein metabolism in the young, but postmenopausal women have a greater anabolic resistance than older men. Anabolic resistance is also shown by the decreased phosphorylation in the PKB-mTOR-eIF4BP1 pathway in response to increased EAA.

Peri and post-menopausal women are increasingly resistant to muscle protein anabolism due to a lack of response to exercise and amino acid uptake (due to the change in the ratio of estrogen:progesterone and sensitivity of receptor sites).

Research also shows that with age, we also need more protein for the same training adaptations. Current recommended dietary allowance for protein (0.8 g/kg/day) might be inadequate for maintaining muscle health in older adults, probably as a consequence of “anabolic resistance” in aged muscle.

In a report using data from 1,081 adults aged 55–85 years old, more frequent consumption of meals containing 30–45 g protein resulted in the greatest association with leg lean mass and strength.

Total body strength, but particularly lower body strength is closely correlated with longevity or mortality rate.

Consumption of higher protein diets does not have detrimental effects on health, including kidney function, bone health, or liver function and blood lipids according to multiple sources of research.

Summary of Protein Consumption in Menopause (H2) Women in the menopause transition should target the higher end of that range (2.2 to 2.4 grams per kilogram), aiming for the lower end on easier days and the higher end on very heavy training days. Research also indicates that when undergoing a calorie deficit, higher levels of protein intake help you keep your lean mass and lose body fat.

That is, set your protein intake, and then if dieting or attempting to lose weight, create a reasonable deficit in calories but with increased protein beyond normal intake.

As you reach peri and postmenopause, your anabolic resistance increases, so you want to aim to have that post-exercise protein closer to 40 grams.

A protein intake of 1.0–1.2 g/kg/day has been recommended for the preservation of healthy aging muscles, while 1.2–1.5 g/kg/day of protein may be necessary in older patients with acute or chronic diseases. Elderly people with severe illness or malnutrition may need as much as 2.0 g/kg/day of protein.

Very active and athletes have always been advised to consume additional protein. For midlife and older women, there’s even more reason to adhere to this advice.

To overcome anabolic resistance, active and menopausal women’s Daily protein intake should fall within the mid- to upper ranges of current sport nutrition guidelines (1.4-2.2 g·kg-1·day-1). If you are an active woman, exercising intentionally 4 or more times a week these numbers apply to you. Using 2.2 g/kg/day is the equivalent of 1 g protein to a lb of body weight. (J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2023 Dec)

Athletes [and let’s include, the very active] aiming to reduce fat mass and preserve FFM should consume protein intakes in the range of ∼1.8 - 2.7 g kg(-1) d(-1) (or ∼2.3-3.1 g kg(-1) FFM) in combination with a moderate energy deficit (-500 kcal) and the performance of some form of resistance exercise. (Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2018)

Add Your Questions Relative to Protein Consumption in Menopause (h2)

The best place to ask a question is the Facebook group.

References: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4924200/

Rennie MJ. Anabolic resistance: the effects of aging, sexual dimorphism, and immobilization on human muscle protein turnover. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2009 Jun;34(3):377-81. doi: 10.1139/H09-012. PMID: 19448702.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18175749/

Andres V Ardisson Korat, M Kyla Shea, Paul F Jacques, Paola Sebastiani, Molin Wang, A Heather Eliassen, Walter C Willett, Qi Sun,

Dietary protein intake in midlife in relation to healthy aging – results from the prospective Nurses’ Health Study cohort, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 119, Issue 2, 2024, Pages 271-282, ISSN 0002-9165, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.11.010.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4882708/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5852756/

https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijsnem/28/2/article-p170.xml

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4882708/

J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2023 Dec

(Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2018

Other Episodes You Might Like: * Muscle Protein Synthesis in Menopause: How to Plan Pre and Post Workout: https://www.flippingfifty.com/muscle-protein-synthesis-in-menopause/ * 10 Comprehensive Ways Resistance Training Revolutionizes Menopause Health https://www.flippingfifty.com/resistance-training-revolutionizes-menopause-health/ * Effective Fat Loss for Women After 50: Strategies That Work https://www.flippingfifty.com/effective-fat-loss-for-women/

Resources:

• Facebook Insiders: https://www.facebook.com/groups/flipping50tv
• MEMBERSHIP: https://www.flippingfifty.com/cafe

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Registered dietitian Bonni London joins me today to talk about how to eat out without blowing it and how to decide if fasting is something you want and need and if so how.

Let’s talk about your definition of healthy. Is it for weight loss, weight maintenance, or is it to reverse an illness? Stay tuned to know which kind of healthy food can help achieve your goals.

My Guest: Bonni London is a Sarasota-based registered dietitian since 1999 with a 30-year career dedicated to empowering people to overcome health and weight challenges. Bonni holds a Master's degree in Clinical Nutrition from New York University, has blended her early experience as a personal trainer with her nutrition expertise to develop personalized nutrition plans. Her work has been recognized by the Herald Tribune and shared on platforms like ABC TV 7 and her YouTube channel, "Healthy Rebels."

If you’re listening to the episode today would you comment, how many times a week do you eat out or get take out of some kind?

Questions We Answer in This Episode: * What have you completely changed your mind about in the past 3 decades? [00:04:14] * What is the biggest obstacle in achieving weight or health goals that no one is speaking about? [00:08:14] * What "healthy" foods are keeping us fat and sick? [00:11:04] * What is your opinion of fasting? [00:21:48] * What nutrition trends should stay and which should go? [00:18:08]

Connect with Bonni London : * https://www.londonwellness.net

On Social: * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LondonWellnessSarasota * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnilondon/ * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bonnilondonrd/

Other Episodes You Might Like: * Your Glucose Levels in Menopause with the Glucose Goddess: https://www.flippingfifty.com/glucose-levels-in-menopause * A New WeightLoss Mindset: From Ballerina to Dietitian: https://www.flippingfifty.com/weightloss-mindset/

Resources:

• The Dinning Out Cheat Sheet: https://www.thediningoutcheatsheet.com
• Debra’s Essential Amino Acids: https://www.flippingfifty.com/resources
• Flipping 50’s Burn Boost with Leucine: https://www.flippingfifty.com/protein
• Watch for her program: Bye, Bye Belly Fat, Boot Camp!: https://thebyebyebellyfatbootcamp.com/

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I love progressive relaxation in menopause as a tool to do just that. Whether it’s to take a 10 minute break or get to sleep or back to sleep, it works. This method is a powerful tool to reduce stress, improve sleep, and enhance overall well-being. Incorporating this practice into your routine can make a significant difference in how you manage menopause, release tension and find balance to your movement routine.

Introduction to Progressive Relaxation: * Explanation of what progressive relaxation is. * Benefits for women in menopause, including stress reduction, improved sleep, and better hormonal balance.

Step-by-Step Guide: * Toes: Begin by focusing on your toes. Tighten the muscles, hold for a few seconds, then release and feel the relaxation. * Feet: Move to your feet, repeat the process of tensing and relaxing. * Calves: Focus on your calf muscles, tightening and releasing. * Thighs: Shift your attention to your thighs, tensing and then relaxing the muscles. * Hips and Buttocks: Tighten the muscles in your hips and buttocks, hold, and release. * Abdomen: Focus on your abdominal muscles, tensing and relaxing. * Chest: Tighten the muscles in your chest, hold for a few seconds, then release. * Hands: Move to your hands, clenching your fists tightly and then releasing. * Arms: Focus on your arms, tightening and relaxing the muscles. * Shoulders: Lift your shoulders up towards your ears, hold, and then let them drop and relax. * Neck: Gently tighten the muscles in your neck, hold, and release. * Face: Scrunch up the muscles in your face, hold, and then relax completely. * Head: Finally, focus on your scalp, tensing the muscles and then releasing. * Benefits Recap: * Review the benefits of each muscle group relaxation and how it aids in stress relief and hormonal balance. * Encourage regular practice for optimal results.

Resources: * More tips: https://www.flippingfifty.com * Stronger 12-Week strength training: https://www.flippingfifty.com/getstronger

Other Episodes You Might Like: * 10 Comprehensive Ways Resistance Training Revolutionizes Menopause Health https://www.flippingfifty.com/resistance-training-revolutionizes-menopause-health/ * Yoga Booty, Yoga Belly, and Now Yoga Brain: Better with Yoga https://www.flippingfifty.com/yoga-booty-yoga-belly-and-now-yoga-brain-better-with-yoga/ * Cortisol Hormone: Don’t let it derail your fat loss efforts https://www.flippingfifty.com/cortisol-hormone/

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The Importance of Basics and Variety in Exercise in Menopause Exercise during menopause can be challenging, but focusing on basics is key. These exercises build and maintain lean muscle mass and bone density, which are crucial as women age. For women over 40, sticking to basics provides significant benefits.

Incorporate new exercises into warm-ups and cool-downs, but keep your fitness program focused on basic movements. This boosts metabolism, muscle and bone density, and functional fitness.

These exercises assist with daily activities like getting up, picking things up, and managing stairs. Functional benefits are crucial as we age.

A well-designed exercise program considers sequencing, timing, and rest periods tailored to individual needs. For women over 40, workout timing, repetitions, sets, and recovery periods are vital. Consider life stressors too.

The goal is to maintain body composition, energy levels, muscle strength, bone density, and overall functionality, ensuring a healthy, active life into later years.

Questions We Answer In This Episode:

• Why are basic exercises like squats, lunges, and deadlifts crucial for women over 40? [00:09:00]
• How does exercise variety impact metabolism and muscle/bone health during menopause? [00:08:00]
• What makes an exercise program unique and effective for women over 40? [00:14:00]
• How do life stressors influence exercise routines for menopausal women? [00:19:20]
• What role do basics play in achieving optimal body composition and preventing disease?[00:06:10]

Resources:

• Flipping 50 Membership: https://www.flippingfifty.com/cafe
• 10 Day Hot Not Bothered Challenge: https://www.flippingfifty.com/hnb-challenge
• Facebook Insiders Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/flippig50insiders
• Other Episodes You Might Like:
• Exercise Physiology Plus Menopause Physiology for the Midlife Exercise Rx:
• https://www.flippingfifty.com/midlife-exercise-rx/
• 5 Menopause Workout Tips from Recent Exercise Studies:
• https://www.flippingfifty.com/menopause-workout-tips/
• What’s the Best Exercise Schedule at Midlife:
• https://www.flippingfifty.com/best-exercise-schedule/

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Can I Still Start Hormones 10 Years After Menopause? Doctors Respond The question from our community is, can I still start hormones 10 years after menopause or after 65?

Felice Gersh Felice Gersh, M.D. is a multi-award winning physician with dual board certifications in OB-GYN and Integrative Medicine. She is the founder and director of the Integrative Medical Group of Irvine, a practice that provides comprehensive health care for women by combining the best evidence-based therapies from conventional, naturopathic, and holistic medicine. For 12 years, she taught obstetrics and gynecology at Keck USC School of Medicine as an Assistant Clinical Professor, and she now serves as an Affiliate Faculty Member at the Fellowship in Integrative Medicine through the University of Arizona School of Medicine. Felice is a prolific writer and lecturer who speaks globally on women’s health and regularly publishes in peer-reviewed medical journals. She is the bestselling author of the PCOS SOS series and her latest book, Menopause: 50 Things You Need to Know.

Anna Cabeca Anna Cabeca, DO, OBGYN, FACOG, is best selling author of The Hormone Fix and Keto-Green 16 and MenuPause. Dr. Anna is triple-board certified and a fellow of gynecology and obstetrics, integrative medicine, and anti-aging and regenerative medicine. She holds special certifications in functional medicine, sexual health, and bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. She lectures frequently on these topics throughout the world to large audiences and is known nationally as The Girlfriend Doctor and is host of The Girlfriend Doctor show. She has personally developed natural products to help women balance hormones and thrive through menopause including the highly acclaimed Julva® cream for the vulva and MightyMaca® Plus, a powerful superfood blend. She now lives in Dallas with her daughters, horses and dogs.

Shawn Tassone Shawn Tassone MD, Ph.D., known as Americas Holistic Gynecologist, is the first physician in the United States to be double board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and by the American Board of Integrative Medicine. He holds a medical degree in addition to a Ph.D. in mind-body medicine. He’s a practicing OBGYN in the Austin, Tx, hormone specialist, author, speaker, highly rated patient advocate, and creator of the world’s first integrative hormonal mapping system. In his 20+ years of practice, Dr. Tassone has seen over 40,000 women and he is determined to remove the myths surrounding women's health. As an integrative health practitioner, he believes that you should have an active role in your care. His work includes studies and publications on hormonal imbalances, spirituality in medical care, whole foods to heal the human body, and integrative medicine. Dr. Tassone is featured in many publications including The New York Times, NBCNews Online, Stanford MedX, and his book, The Hormone Balance Bible, published by HarperCollins, is now available for purchase.

Donna White Donna White is a seasoned expert in bio-identical hormone replacement therapy with over 30 years of experience. As the founder of the BHRT Training Academy, author of "The Hormone Makeover," and a pioneer in establishing BHRT programs, she has played a pivotal role in advancing hormone health.

Donna's unique approach lies in her ability to translate complex medical information into digestible content, making her a sought-after speaker, educator, and consultant. Her training academy has revolutionized the way medical practitioners approach hormone therapy, leading to significant improvements in patient care and practice growth.

Michelle Sands Dr. Michelle Sands is a #1 International Best-Selling Author and a licensed Naturopathic Physician (ND) with a specialization in women’s hormone health. As a highly sought-after expert in Female Hormones and Antiaging, she is dedicated to helping women achieve limitless health at any age. Dr. Michelle co-founded GLOW Natural Wellness, where she focuses on providing solutions for women struggling with chronic conditions and hormone-related issues.

Deb Matthew Dr Deb Matthew MD, America's Happy Hormones Doctor, is a best-selling author, international speaker, educator, wife and mom of four boys. After suffering for years with fatigue and irritability due to hormone imbalances, her quest to resolve her personal health led her to change everything about her practice of medicine. She has been featured on national podcasts, radio, and broadcast shows, including NBC, ABC, CBS, and FOX.

Sharon Stills Dr. Sharon Stills is a Naturopathic Medical Doctor providing comprehensive health care, therapeutic and diagnostic services to patients worldwide. She combines her conventional medical training, data-driven science, cutting-edge diagnostic tools and a deep knowledge of natural healing to effectively identify and treat health concerns ranging from allergies to end stage cancer, and everything in between.

Summary of Can I Still Start Hormones 10 Years After Menopause? 1. No it’s not too late 2. The dose and type you take matters more 3. There could be greater risk factors you consider 4. Your lifestyle habits are always still going to be the bottom line on results you get

Resources: What, When & Why to Exercise for Women 40+ summit recordings: https://www.flippingfifty.com/wwwexercise

STRONGER: https://www.flippingfifty.com/getstronger

Flipping 50 Membership: https://www.flippingfifty.com/cafe

Other Episodes You Might Like: Previous episodes with Sharon stills, felice gersh, shawn tassone, David Rosensweet,

Which Hormones Matter Most in Meno(pause): https://www.flippingfifty.com/which-hormones/

How to Harness the Power of Women’s Hormones: https://www.flippingfifty.com/womens-hormones-network/

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With the increased emphasis on menopause and longevity, there is more menopause misinformation, too. This episode takes a look at several areas where you might want to take a closer look at your Google Search, the associations and society’s you follow, what “published science” actually is, and two hot-topics right now.

My Guest: Shawn Tassone MD, Ph.D., known as Americas Holistic Gynecologist, is the first physician in the United States to be double board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and by the American Board of Integrative Medicine. He holds a medical degree in addition to a Ph.D. in mind-body medicine. He’s a practicing OBGYN in the Austin, Tx, hormone specialist, author, speaker, highly rated patient advocate, and creator of the world’s first integrative hormonal mapping system. In his 20+ years of practice, Dr. Tassone has seen over 40,000 women and he is determined to remove the myths surrounding women's health. As an integrative health practitioner, he believes that you should have an active role in your care. His work includes studies and publications on hormonal imbalances, spirituality in medical care, whole foods to heal the human body, and integrative medicine. Dr. Tassone is featured in many publications including The New York Times, NBCNews Online, Stanford MedX, and his book, The Hormone Balance Bible, published by HarperCollins, is now available for purchase.

Questions We Cover in this Episode: * With menopause trending in 2024, what misinformation concerns you most? [00:08:15] * Titles like Associations, Institute, Society are easy to acquire, much like Instagram profiles. [00:16:15] * What are the biggest false information provided to women about menopause? [00:09:15] * Do you sometimes think misinformation is intentional; due to ignorance; or the desire to appear as authority without science or understanding enough to deliver? [00:17:15] * Are women being misinformed about hot topics like: + Intermittent Fasting [00:27:25] + GLP-1/Ozempic/Wegovy/ [00:31:45] * Menopause discussion has surged, from none to everyone and having a product for it. We judge fitness professionals by appearances and short social media clips, not knowing their true practices. [00:16:15]

Connect with Dr Tassone: Website: www.tassonemd.com

On Social:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tassonedoc

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shawntassonemd

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shawntassonemdphd

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/shawntassonemdphd

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tassonedoc

YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/ShawnTassoneMDPhD

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/shawntassonemdphd

Podcast: www.tassonemd.com/podcast

Book: www.tassonemd.com/hormone-balance-bible

Other Episodes You Might Like: Previous episodes with Shawn Tassone, medical gaslighting, ageism

• What is Medical Gaslighting and What Do You Do About It? https://www.flippingfifty.com/medical-gaslighting/
• Think You’re Too Old? Ageism Dismantled with Ashton Applewhite https://www.flippingfifty.com/ageism-dismantled/

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The Role of Exercise in Menopausal Mood Management Feeling the mood swings that come with menopause? Crazy for a better mood in menopause? You're not alone. This episode dives into how regular exercise can be a powerful tool for managing mood, reducing anxiety, and boosting overall well-being during the transitional phase to menopause. Get ready to feel empowered with every step, stretch, and lift.

Questions We Answer In This Episode: * 1. How does physical activity impact mood during menopause? [00:01:00] * 2. What types of exercise are most effective for mood management in menopausal women? [00:12:40] * 3. How does exercise reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression linked to menopause? [00:12:40] * 4. What are easy ways to incorporate more mood-boosting activities into daily life? [00:17:00] * 5. How long should you exercise to feel the mood-enhancing benefits? [00:17:20] * 6. Can exercise routines be adjusted based on menopausal symptoms? [00:16:20]

1. Hormonal Fluctuations: Declining estrogen and progesterone levels affect neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, which regulate mood and well-being, causing mood swings and anxiety.
2. Sleep Disturbances: Menopause-related sleep issues, such as difficulty sleeping and poor sleep quality, worsen mood swings and anxiety due to disrupted sleep patterns.
3. Psychosocial Factors: Life changes during menopause, including shifts in roles, relationships, and concerns about aging, contribute to stress and mood disturbances.
4. Neurological Changes: Lower estrogen levels impact brain function, affecting emotional processing and stress response, making women more prone to mood swings and anxiety.
5. Physical Health Changes: Symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, and physical discomfort add to emotional distress and anxiety, further destabilizing mood.

The study "Impact of Physical Activity on Physical and Mental Health of Postmenopausal Women" by S Kalra, J Yadav, and P Ajmera reviews the benefits of physical activity and psychological health for postmenopausal women.

The physical benefits of exercise include improved cardiovascular health, increased bone density, and enhanced overall physical functioning. Psychologically, regular physical activity reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety, enhances mood stability, and mitigates mood swings and irritability often associated with menopause.

Different types of exercise programs, including aerobic exercises, strength training, and flexibility routines, all positively impact mental health outcomes for postmenopausal women. The study consolidates existing research, highlighting exercise as a comprehensive therapeutic tool for managing menopausal changes.

Other Episodes You Might Like: * That Gut Feeling is Real How Gut Impacts Mood: https://www.flippingfifty.com/that-gut-feeling/ * 7 Mental Health Benefits from Exercise That You’ll Love: https://www.flippingfifty.com/mental-health-benefits/

Reference: Impact of Physical Activity on Physical and Mental Health of Postmenopausal Women: A Systematic Review by S Kalra, J Yadav, and P Ajmera, published in the Journal of Clinical & Experimental Research in 2022. This systematic review analyzes the impact of physical activity on both the physical and psychological health of postmenopausal women, including mood and anxiety alterations due to different exercise programs.

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Seeking gut solutions? You’re not alone and apparently the USA is the gut disease capital of the world. You heard that right. In this episode, we define serious conditions like Colitis and Crohn’s but we start with - and they may start with - bloat. Have I got your attention?

Understanding what could be a gut issue (skin, asthma, arthritis, brain fog, hormonal issues, etc.), the links between the gut and other diseases, and other topics suggested from Flipping 50 support :)

Hear how my guest got interested in gut solutions with a personal training client he helped break world records.

My Guest: Josh is an ex-paramedic, and Holistic Nutritionist, specializing in gut health. It was the successes his clients have had with complex digestive diseases like Crohn's and Colitis, previously thought to be impossible, that got him connected to some of the world’s most renowned doctors.

Since then, he’s been recruited to the Priority Health Academy as a medical lecturer, helping educate doctors on the holistic approach to gut health, and complex digestive issues.

Questions We Answer in This Episode: * Define and distinguish Crohn’s and Colitis and their causes and cures[00:16:25] * How and why is the USA the gut disease capital of the world? [00:29:25] * How vastly important are our guts are, and how they connect to 93% of the leading causes of death in the USA? [00:13:45] * Can you explain the role of the gut biome in disease processes like, chronic inflammation, obesity and mental health? [00:12:15] * What's the difference between Western and Functional medicine's approaches to gut health? [00:18:15] * What does gut health have to do with brain health, intuition and relationships? [00:33:25]

Connect with Josh Dech : * Website: https://gutsolution.ca/

On Social: * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshdech.health * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshdech.health/ * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJZRvYNIDeyc-5_FRmGoMhw

Other Episodes You Might Like: * Personalized Gut Health: Resolve Menopause Gut Issues: https://www.flippingfifty.com/gut-issues/ * Lose Weight, Gain Energy and Eliminate Pain with a Gut Cleanse: Dr Vincent M. Pedre: https://www.flippingfifty.com/lose-weight-gain-energy-and-eliminate-pain-with-a-gut-cleanse-dr-vincent-m-pedre/

Resources: * What When Why to Exercise for Women 40+ Summit: https://www.flippingfifty.com/wwwexercise

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5 Exercise Changes in Menopause to Overcome a Plateau If you’ve experienced some weight loss success then got stuck, try these exercise changes in menopause to overcome a plateau.

Before any of these steps make sense, resolve issues of fatigue. If you’re getting up in the morning feeling hungover, or you do a workout and feel like a nap, you have other business to attend to before you hop in here.

Visit some of the previous podcasts about adrenal insufficiency and stress and start there. This will be here. Some of these things will serve you to know. However, if you don’t base your actions (or inactions: those things you stop) based on the feedback your body is telling you right now, you’ve got to manage it first.

I’m going to give these to you right here all at once. Then I’m going to dive into the why these are true.

Lastly, if you’re active and moving and have a high demand for calories that you’re not consuming? Unless you also are consciously increasing protein, you’re going to lose muscle. Never ever ever after 40 do we want that to happen. Every decade older you are, the difficulty of getting it back increases.

5 Exercise Changes in Menopause to Overcome a Plateau 1. Remove HIIT if you’re in perimenopause on a plateau 2. Add HIIT if you’re in post menopause on a plateau 3. Do Intense Exercise Early in the Day 4. Go Hard Short (and then recover) 5. Skip “middle zone” madness

And bonus:

1. Start walking. Walk after meals, after anything that carries the chance to spike your blood sugar levels. (including….

What is the Skip Middle Zone Madness?

Where should you be? Go by Feel. I don’t care, and no one online knows where your heart rate should be by math on a calculator. An estimated target heart rate zone over or estimates for a large percent of the population. For adults over 40 it significantly under estimates.

So if you have any fitness level at all, you’re aiming for something that does not fit you.

Exercise Changes in Menopause, Boost your energy, improve results, and feel good Boost your energy, improve results, and feel good**

You’ve heard the magical “Zone 2” reference and that means something different to too many people. Peter Attia describes it one way, another guru in another way, your trainer another.

What I want you to know is this, for most women, it feels like conscious, on purpose exercise but you can carry on a conversation. You are NOT breathless, you’re able to keep going.

Even a zone 2 workout will get harder if you go for hours, but 30 minutes, 60 and even 2 hours if you’re used to it and you’re in condition for it can be done in zone 2 easily.

None of us live in geography that is completely flat. Going for a walk or hike almost anywhere will involve a hill or gradual increase of altitude. Is that an interval? Not unless it gets you completely breathless, and if you’re going for zone 2 or a recovery walk you will choose a flatter path, or one you’re very used to.

The Non-Exercise Changes in Menopause to Overcome a Plateau What stalls weight loss is low carbs. It’s often the first thing we do. Yet, the obstacle is often cortisol. To reduce it, we need carbohydrates. Try these changes in post menopause to overcome a plateau.

Resources: STRENGTH Training for Women in Midlife: https://www.flippingfifty.com/getstronger

5 Day Flip: https://www.flippingfifty.com/5dayflip

Other Episodes You Might Like:

3 Menopause Fitness Makeovers: https://www.flippingfifty.com/menopause-fitness-makeovers/

An Open Apology to Women Pursuing Fitness: https://www.flippingfifty.com/midlife-women/

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Resistance training is essential in menopause. It is supportive of your hormones. It’s an endocrine organ. It supports blood sugar levels, moods and more! All inside!

Are you navigating menopause noticing unfavorable changes in your body composition? This episode of Flipping 50 is your ticket to understanding why muscle matters now more than ever. Discover how resistance training can transform not just your muscles, but your overall menopausal journey, with expert insights and actionable tips.

I’m sharing a new study on resistance training to combat muscle loss, increase bone density, and improve metabolic health during and after menopause.

The study aimed to identify the most effective resistance training protocols to combat osteoporosis by improving BMD in postmenopausal women. It specifically evaluated the impact of different exercise intensities and frequencies.

Resistance training is essential in menopause for maintaining bone density and metabolic health.

Questions We Answer In This Episode: * Why is muscle mass particularly important for women entering menopause? [00:24:04] * How does resistance training impact bone health and help prevent osteoporosis? [00:07:24] * What are the best resistance training exercises for women over 50? [00:19:24] * How often should menopausal women engage in resistance training? [00:15:54] * What are some common misconceptions about weight lifting and menopause? [00:08:54] * How can resistance training improve hormonal balance during menopause? [00:20:44]

The research concluded that for postmenopausal women, resistance training at moderate intensity, conducted three times a week, offers the best outcomes for increasing BMD. This protocol should be integrated into fitness routines to effectively manage and mitigate the risks of osteoporosis in this population.

Monday and Friday 10 repetitions (80%)

Wednesday 16 repetitions (65%) - unilateral work

Might be an ideal combination to provide stimulus without endocrine disruption (cortisol/adrenals/thyroid)

Objectives The study aimed to identify the most effective resistance training protocols to combat osteoporosis by improving BMD in postmenopausal women. It specifically evaluated the impact of different exercise intensities and frequencies.

Methods Studies assessed resistance training's impact on BMD. The studies were categorized by exercise intensity (high, moderate, low) and frequency (high frequency of three days per week and low frequency of two days per week).

Findings 1. Overall Effectiveness: The meta-analysis found that resistance training is beneficial in increasing BMD in postmenopausal women, particularly at lumbar spine and femoral neck sites. 2. Intensity and Frequency: Moderate-intensity training (65%–80% 1RM) performed three times a week was most effective in improving BMD. This regimen provided a balance that was intense enough to stimulate bone density improvements without the risks associated with high-intensity training. 3. Comparison of Protocols: The study revealed that while all resistance training positively impacted BMD, the moderate intensity at a higher frequency provided the most significant benefits. 4. Statistical Analysis: Data were analyzed using network meta-analysis, which allowed for comparison across multiple interventions. The results suggested that moderate-intensity, high-frequency training was superior to other combinations in improving BMD.

Conclusions The research concluded that for postmenopausal women, resistance training at moderate intensity, conducted three times a week, offers the best outcomes for increasing BMD. This protocol should be integrated into fitness routines to effectively manage and mitigate the risks of osteoporosis in this population.

Monday and Friday 10 repetitions (80%)

Wednesday 16 repetitions (65%) - unilateral work

Might be an ideal combination to provide stimulus without endocrine disruption (cortisol/adrenals/thyroid)

Reference: "Comparative efficacy of different resistance training protocols on bone mineral density in postmenopausal women: A systematic review and network meta-analysis" by Z Wang et al. (2023) examines various resistance training regimens and their effectiveness on bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women.

Resources: * Stronger 12-Week Program: https://www.flippingfifty.com/getstronger

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• 21 Ways to Optimize Your Workouts After 40: https://www.flippingfifty.com/optimize-your-workout/
• Science that Makes Exercise Essential in Menopause: https://www.flippingfifty.com/exercise-essential-for-menopause-health/
• 21 Reasons Strength Training Should Be Mandatory After 50: https://www.flippingfifty.com/weight-training-should-be-mandatory/

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We often sabotage our own success by delaying important tasks. Breaking this cycle is key to making our dreams a reality. Remember, "SOMEDAY is Not a Day in the Week." It's time to turn your plans into actions and make your dreams happen now.

My Guest:

Sam Horn is the CEO of the Intrigue Agency. Her 3 TEDx talks and 10 books have been featured in New York Times and presented to Oracle, Intel, Accenture, and NASA. As the former Executive Director of the world-renowned Maui Writers Conference and one of LinkedIn Learning's most popular communication instructors, she helps people craft one-of-a-kind books, talks, and careers that scale their income and impact - for good.

Questions we cover in this episode:

• What motivated you to write the SOMEDAY is Not a Day in the Week book? [00:05:10]
• You love quotes. You are prolific in sharing them so naturally. What are a few of your favorites about how we can make the most of our life NOW, not later? [00:08:50]
• You have a story about Walden Pond that inspires everyone who hears it to take action on their dreams. Will you share it with us?[00:18:30]
• Why do you think people - particularly women - procrastinate and put off doing what they know is good for them? [00:20:50]
• Your upcoming book is AGEncy - how we can use our age as INCENTIVE, not an EXCUSE. Could you tell us more about that? And how long do I have to make room on my nightstand? [00:27:50]

Connect with Sam:

website: https://samhorn.com/

On Social:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samhorn/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samhornintrigue/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SamHornIntrigue

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SamHornPOP/

Resources:

Register for Sam’s upcoming master classes in May and June:

1. How to Market Your Work without Being a Jerk
2. Storyboard your Book and TEDx Talk

https://samhorn.com/market-masterclass/

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Take a Walk With 57 Year old Book Author: https://www.flippingfifty.com/take-a-walk/

Think You’re Too Old? https://www.flippingfifty.com/ageism-dismantled/

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If you don’t already know dozens of reasons that make exercise essential for menopause health, you may after this episode. I want to share with you 5 powerful quotes directly from the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine.

Then I’ll tie this to the physiology of menopause.

1

If any pill or surgical procedure had the same positive effects of exercise, it would be the most widely prescribed medicine in the world.

2

“In fact, it would be malpractice not to prescribe it to every patient, every visit, regardless of medical specialty.”

3

“It is recommended that physical activity be recorded as a vital sign, just as other modifiable risk factors are routinely assessed (eg, blood pressure, weight, smoking)”

4

While other determinants of health (genetics, environment, and medical care) influence health outcomes, by far the most important factor contributing to health outcomes is individual lifestyle and behavior.

5

A 2015 article from JAMA Internal Medicine states, “There is no medication treatment that can influence as many organ systems in a positive manner as can physical activity.”

This science wasn’t written based on menopause.

It was based on the obesity and physical inactivity “pandemic.” Not the one in 2020 but the one that began about the time Snackwells experienced its birth. Yet everything in this (and other research studies) applies to menopause.

This is a point in time you’re either going to choose to get and stay healthier or by not exercising properly, you’re at risk of accelerating the rate of aging and disease.

The Right Exercise Essential for Menopause Health These are all quotes directly from the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine and it cited numerous papers published in 2007 and 2009 related to this Exercise is Medicine™ joint project between two prestigious organizations.

In the first 5 years, platforms were built. Likely millions were spent. But still not much has happened.

Here we are with less than 20% of all women lifting weights at least twice weekly. For women in menopause, strength training properly could significantly impact at least 7 of the most common symptoms experienced by midlife women. Muscle is an endocrine organ.

Only 32% of patients receive advice from their physician or other health care professional to exercise or to continue being physically active during their visit with a physician.

Only 12% of medical doctors were required to take any course related to exercise during their medical education.

The answers are there. But no one is coming… to help a doctor have more time in an appointment, to help a fitness trainer develop a relationship with a doctor so they can be trusted and used as a referral.

It’s up to us. To you. To me.

We’ve done much harder things. Advocate for yourself. It’s right there.

You are just one workout away.

Reference: Source: PMID: 32922236

Resources: 10-Day Hot Not Bothered Challenge: https://www.flippingfifty.com/hnb-challenge

STRONGER: https://www.flippingfifty.com/getstronger

Other Episodes You Might Like: * Menopause Exercise Intensity for Optimal Aging for Women Over 50 - https://www.flippingfifty.com/menopause-exercise-intensity/ * 21 Ways to Optimize Your WORKOUT After 40, 50, 60 or 70 - https://www.flippingfifty.com/optimize-your-workout/ * 21 Reasons Weight Training Should Be Mandatory Exercise After 50 - https://www.flippingfifty.com/weight-training-should-be-mandatory/

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Your glucose levels in menopause could be responsible for your mood swings, brain fog, hot flashes, and if you’re lucky enough not to have those, but haven’t escaped the weight or belly fat gain, then stay tuned.

Your Glucose Levels in Menopause with the Glucose Goddess On this episode I talk with the Glucose Goddess herself about exactly what you can do. Spoiler alert, you have something on your kitchen or pantry shelf right now that could reduce your blood sugar levels right now.

Significantly.

My Guest: Jessie Inchauspé is a French biochemist and New York Times bestselling author. She is on a mission to translate cutting-edge science into easy tips to help people improve their physical and mental health. In her books Glucose Revolution and The Glucose Goddess Method, which sold over 1 million copies worldwide in 40 languages, she shares her startling discovery about the essential role of blood sugar in every aspect of our lives, and the surprising hacks to optimize it. Jessie is the founder of the popular Instagram account @GlucoseGoddess, where she teaches over 3 million people about transformative food habits. She holds a BSc in mathematics from King’s College, London, and an MSc in biochemistry from Georgetown University.

Questions We Answer in This Episode: * When did you realize blood sugar was going to be your focus? * What’s the importance of glucose levels, or blood sugar, for our listeners? * For women in midlife who become more sensitive to carbohydrates and less insulin sensitive with hormonal changes, what does that mean? * Can you tie inflammation to glucose, since it is “unseen” and hard to sometimes grasp the impact of inflammation? * Since doing the research for your book, in what ways have your own habits changed? * What are 3 things you really want this book to do? * What are some bad recommendations that you hear regarding blood sugar levels? * [You’ve made it so simple] Why do you think we find it so hard to change even when we learn what to do? * What is your method for studying science? What is considered a “good study” – something that makes it to the book, or to your flourishing Instagram channel? * We know that beyond food other things impact our blood sugar, have you studied certain stressors or exercise in combination with food? * Can you share any studies regarding sweet taste, even if it isn’t sugar, and the effects of blood sugar? [Say use of stevia, or a piece of sugar-free gum] * What are three things a listener could do today as she goes about her routine that wouldn’t turn their world upside down, but could have a significant impact on improving blood sugar [and inflammation]?

Connect with Jessie Inchauspé: Website: https://www.glucosegoddess.com,%20https://www.antispike.com

On Social: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glucosegoddesss/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glucosegoddess/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GlucoseRevolution

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@glucosegoddess_

Other Episodes You Might Like: * You Want to Balance Blood Sugar for Belly Fat Reduction - https://www.flippingfifty.com/balance-blood-sugar/ * Walking Off Weight in Menopause | Controlling Blood Sugar - https://www.flippingfifty.com/walking-off-weight/ * 4 Ways Blood Sugar Could Halt Your Fat Burning & Weight Loss - https://www.flippingfifty.com/fat-burning-weight-loss/

Resources: Dietary supplement: www.antispike.com

Recipe Club: https://www.glucosegoddess.com/recipe-club

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If I had the key to fat loss after 45… and I could get every woman to use it, we could change history.

Struggling with weight gain during menopause? You're not alone. Tune in to learn about the unique challenges and effective strategies for fat loss specifically tailored for women over 45. We're unpacking how to adapt your exercise routines to fuel fat loss and boost your metabolism in midlife.

In this episode of Flipping 50, we explore the intricacies of fat loss during menopause, focusing on how changes in hormones affect your body and what you can do to rev up your metabolism. Discover exercise strategies and lifestyle tweaks that are effective for women navigating the shifts that come with menopause.

Questions We Answer In This Episode: 1. How does menopause impact metabolism and weight? [00:03:15] 2. What types of exercise help with fat loss in menopausal women? [00:05:15] 3. Can exercise influence appetite and food cravings during menopause? [00:05:45] 4. What role does sleep play in weight management during menopause? [00:03:55] 5. How can stress affect your weight during menopause, and what can you do about it? [00:13:05] 6. What are practical tips for integrating effective fat loss workouts into a busy schedule? [00:18:05]

In a study titled "The Effects of Exercise Training on Body Composition in Postmenopausal Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis" provides a thorough analysis of how different forms of exercise influence body composition, particularly fat mass, in postmenopausal women. The research synthesizes results from various studies to conclude that while all forms of exercise are beneficial, resistance training and aerobic exercises stand out for their significant impact.

Resistance training is especially effective at maintaining and increasing muscle mass, which in turn helps with more efficient fat burning and metabolic rate enhancement. Aerobic exercise, on the other hand, contributes significantly to overall fat loss, improving cardiovascular health and reducing fat percentages across the body.

The research paper discusses different forms of cardiovascular training (often referred to simply as "cardio") for postmenopausal women, emphasizing both aerobic training and resistance training. The study specifically mentions aerobic training (AT) as beneficial for reducing fat mass and improving pulmonary function. This form of training is characterized by activities that increase the heart rate and respiratory rate, typically including exercises like walking, running, cycling, or swimming.

Aerobic training was found to be effective not just for reducing fat mass, particularly visceral fat, but also for improving muscle function and potentially contributing to skeletal muscle hypertrophy, which are critical for combating sarcopenia in the elderly. This type of exercise is generally performed at moderate intensity, where the individual can still talk but might be too breathless to sing.

Strength Key to Fat Loss After 45 In terms of resistance training (RT), the research highlights its role in improving muscle strength and mass. Resistance training involves exercises that cause the muscles to contract against an external resistance with the expectation of increases in strength, tone, mass, and/or endurance. This could include lifting weights, using resistance bands, or doing body-weight exercises like push-ups and squats.

The intensity of these exercises was not specifically quantified in the abstract, but resistance training often involves varying intensities depending on the load and the number of repetitions performed, typically structured in sets.

Overall, the study underlines that both aerobic and resistance exercises are integral for managing health outcomes in postmenopausal women, with specific benefits attributed to each type depending on the targeted health outcome.

Resources: 10 Day Challenge: https://www.flippingiffty.com/hnb-challenge

STRONGER 12 Week program: https://www.flippnigfifty.com/getstronger

Other Episodes You Might Like: * Woman to Woman: How to Get Your Best Sleep in Midlife - https://www.flippingfifty.com/how-to-get-your-best-sleep/ * How Toxins are Disrupting Your Sex, Stress and Thyroid Hormones - https://www.flippingfifty.com/how-toxins-are-disrupting-your-sex-stress-and-thyroid-hormones/ * Enhancing Gut Health to Enhance Weight Loss & Muscle Strength - https://www.flippingfifty.com/gut-health/

Reference: Khalafi Mousa , Habibi Maleki Aref , Sakhaei Mohammad Hossein , Rosenkranz Sara K. , Pourvaghar Mohammad Javad , Ehsanifar Mahsa , Bayat Hadis , Korivi Mallikarjuna , Liu Yubo. The effects of exercise training on body composition in postmenopausal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Endocrinology VOLUME 14, 2023

URL= https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/endocrinology/articles/10.3389/fendo.2023.1183765

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How can you focus on muscle and body composition in menopause, specifically gaining muscle and losing fat? How many sets, repetitions, and how much rest should you take? How much can you follow research featuring young athletic men and how should you advocate for yourself when trainers aren’t using science based on women?

We cover this all today with my guest who is a well-respected and prolific researcher and published author in the field of human performance.

Optimizing muscle and body composition in menopause, that is gaining muscle and losing fat is the focus of this episode. A researcher I met personally a decade ago, whose name has become nearly synonymous with any new study on muscle, hypertrophy, and protocols, joins me.

Want Stronger Muscles? Let’s Talk Muscle and Body Composition in Menopause! Women in midlife are often more susceptible to negative effects of stress. We have a frequent occurrence in our membership of women who are “pushing through” and not actually getting stronger or more fit, because of adrenal insufficiency or a combination of things, we find that less is more, if we can get adequate stimulus during a session and balance that with adequate recovery, we have a better opportunity to improve quality of life for women who need muscle mass and bone density but not at the cost of exhaustion and injury.

My Guest: BRAD SCHOENFELD

Brad Schoenfeld, PhD, CSCS, CSPS, FNSCA, is a professor of exercise science at Lehman College in the Bronx, New York, where he serves as the graduate director of the Human Performance and Fitness program. He also formerly served as the Sports Nutritionist for the New Jersey Devils hockey organization. Dr. Schoenfeld has published more than 300 peer-reviewed scientific papers on various exercise- and sports nutrition-related topics, and authored the seminal textbook, "Science and Development of Muscle Hypertrophy." He was the recipient of the 2016 Dwight D. Eisenhower Fitness Award, presented by the United States Sports Academy for outstanding achievement in fitness and contributions to the growth and development of sport fitness through outstanding leadership activity, as well as earning the 2018 National Strength and Conditioning Association Young Investigator of the Year Award.

His research interest is to optimize body composition (muscle hypertrophy and fat loss) . In particular, his lab studies the manipulation of resistance training variables and their effects on muscular adaptations.

QUESTIONS we Cover in this Episode: * Why this? What originally propelled you into this field of study and ultimately to teach and advise others? * What have been the most aha moments for you in conducting the research on muscle ? * Define Muscle hypertrophy vs Muscle strength * Define and elaborate on “Volume” * We mentioned frequency of exercise and the consideration of the volume of recovery * Time under tension and tempo training

CONNECT: Website: https://www.lookgreatnaked.com/about_brad.php

On Social:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brad.schoenfeld.cscs

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradschoenfeldphd/

Resources:

Hot, Not Bothered Challenge: https://www.flippingfifty.com/hnb-challenge

5 Day Flip: https://www.flippingfifty.com

STRONGER: https://www.flippingfifty.com/getstronger

Other Episodes You Might Like: * Questions About Gaining Muscle and Strength for Women Over 50 - https://www.flippingfifty.com/gaining-muscle-and-strength/ * 3 Steps to Gain Lean Muscle in Menopause - https://www.flippingfifty.com/gain-lean-muscle/ * Short Workouts for Women Over 50 | What Works? - https://www.flippingfifty.com/short-workouts-for-women-over-50/

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This is all about menopause fitness changes that you want to make, 20 of them in fact. Before any of these are truly beneficial, I’ll share this: if you’re not measuring you have no idea what is really happening. Measure and track your percent body fat and your skeletal muscle (in lbs or kgs). Other things you may want to do, take your measurements, track the waist or get nitty gritty with visceral belly fat stat from your Smart Scale.

If you’ve always said, I don’t weigh, I just pay attention to how my clothes fit, it’s time to change that thinking. By the time you may realize you lost a significant amount of muscle it could be too late.. and harder to get it back. Let’s not lose anything you have now, and work to build strong futures.

Here's 20 Menopause Fitness Changes to Try 1. Intense exercise Early

1. Exercise late? Make it light.

2. Increase recovery between challenging sessions.

3. If insomnia strikes, leave agility work for another day

4. Warm up and cool down like a boss to prevent injury

5. Bookend workouts with fuel

6. Quality movement wins over frenzied

7. Basics work better than variety for variety’s sake

8. Fuel before any intense exercise

9. Listen to your body better than you have ever before

Perimenopause

1. Restore before more: Exhausted can’t get fit

2. Focus on muscle building

3. HIIT may hurt or help: assess for yourself

4. Activities that create positive neurotransmitters

5. Don’t underestimate walking and strength training

Postmenopause

1. Energy is more stable: Push a little harder

2. Continue to prioritize strength

3. Frequency of HIIT can often increase from 2 to 4 times a week (45 minutes is still a threshold where injury rates seem to go up)

4. Mobility most days

5. Add Power regularly.

Resources:

Hot Not Bothered Challenge: https://www.flippingfifty.com/hnb-challenge

FREE What, When & Why to Exercise for Women 40+ summit: https://www.flippingfifty.com/wwwexercise

TEDx Talk:

https://youtu.be/k5IzLZ1mP94?si=kCE2oE5LA8i7NGEA

Other Episodes You Might Like:

5 Menopause Fitness Questions You Want Answered: https://www.flippingfifty.com/5-menopause-fitness-questions/ 3 Menopause Fitness Makeovers | Hormone Balancing Exercise: https://www.flippingfifty.com/menopause-fitness-makeovers/ Do Menopause Fitness Rules Apply to Post Menopause Fitness, too? 495: https://www.flippingfifty.com/menopause-fitness-rules/

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Out this week, Ageless Aging is a new title on the shelves and book author and women’s aging advocate, Maddy Dychtwald is here with us on this episode. You’re going to love this episode.

We dive into why women have to advocate for themselves, the power of your mindset and why you and all your high school friends may be aging at such different paces.

The Role of Exercise in Ageless Aging Physical activity remains a cornerstone of healthy aging. Imagine each step of a brisk walk or each rep in a strength training session not only enhancing muscle tone but also refreshing our minds and spirits. This daily commitment to physical activity is not merely about staying fit—it’s a celebration of our bodies’ capacity to thrive at any age, boosting both brain health and emotional well-being, ensuring we live not just longer, but with unstoppable vitality.

My Guest: Maddy Dychtwald is an internationally acclaimed author, public speaker, and thought leader on longevity, aging, the new retirement, and the ascent of women. She co-founded Age Wave, the world's leader in understanding and addressing the far-reaching impacts of our aging population, and has led numerous acclaimed studies on women and money. In addition, she has been involved in more than 25 thought leadership research studies worldwide on aging, longevity, retirement, health, family, caregiving, housing, and leisure, which have cumulatively garnered more than 14 billion media impressions. Her new book, Ageless Aging: A Woman’s Guide to Increasing Healthspan, Brainspan, and Lifespan, publishes May 14th, 2024. She lives in San Francisco with her family.

Questions we answer in this episode: 1. We are at the beginning stages of a longevity revolution. Why are women at the forefront? 2. Why is it so important to create a new and improved experience of long life, especially designed for women? 3. You coined the term “ageless aging,” which is the title of your new book. What does that mean exactly? 4. You’ve created a holistic recipe for ageless aging that any woman of any age can begin. What are the most important ingredients? 5. You share actionable tips and steps to help women increase their healthspans, brainspans, and lifespans. Can you share a few that you practice every day?

Connect with Maddy Dychtwald: Website:

https://maddydychtwald.com/

On Social:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maddydychtwald/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Maddy_Dychtwald

Other Episodes You Might Like: * Grip Strength Is More Than Access to Nut Butter: Positive Aging - https://www.flippingfifty.com/grip-strength/ * Are Your Mitochondria Aging Too Fast? | Slow Down to Energy Up - https://www.flippingfifty.com/aging-too-fast/ * Think You’re Too Old? Ageism Dismantled with Ashton Applewhite - https://flippingfifty.com/ageism-dismantled/

Resources: What When & Why to Exercise for Women 40+: https://www.flippingfifty.com/wwwexercise

NEW BOOK: Ageless Aging - https://www.amazon.com/Ageless-Aging-Increasing-Healthspan-Brainspan-ebook/dp/B0CG1QTK47

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Calories you need in menopause are key as your body experiences these natural changes.

Exercise nutrition in menopause is more important than ever. The intuitive response to a desire to lose menopause weight or belly fat is to eat less and or do sit ups and tons of cardo. All bad ideas. Make the calories you need in menopause, your guide to wellness.

First, let me tell you that I’m not an advocate of telling anyone how many calories they need or of tracking. I don’t measure food. I don’t use points. At Flipping 50 we focus on a simple formula and it starts with whole foods, protein, and servings instead of calories, points or exchanges.

That said, it’s sometimes necessary to really take a closer look at exercise nutrition in menopause. But I want to emphasize a few things before we begin.

Calorie counting isn't the best method if:

• You want to change your body composition (tracking macros is a better approach for body recomposition).
• You have a history of disordered eating and feel the urge to drastically cut calories to an unhealthy level.
• You're not actually sure how many calories you need to eat.

If you go searching blindly online, you’ll find a lot of different answers. For example:

Take your weight x 15 for a moderately active individual to maintain, as suggested at harvard.edu. There was no distinction between males and females.

For my 200 lb client that’s 3000. You’ll see as we continue that’s different from other numbers.

Any calorie estimator should take into account two things. Your BMR, which is your basal or resting metabolic rate, and your activity level.

So when you figure out your BMR you have an idea that if you drop below that number you’re going to risk interfering with bodily function. That’s number is just to keep you alive and functioning.

For my client that’s 1380.

Where to Start with How Many Calories You Need in Menopause Before you count calories, we first need to determine how many we need to eat. But we also need to consider what your past has been.

So on paper, or on the internet, it’s so easy peasy. Then welcome to life.

My client weighs 200 lbs. She doesn’t want to weigh 200 lbs. She’s very active. Weight training and HIIT, some endurance exercise - not much, and a lot of activity like pickleball and golf for 3+ hours several times a week. On a “day off” exercise, she’s still very active.

Calculations on calculator.net will tell her this:

2381 to maintain

2131 mild weight loss

1881 weight loss 1lb /week

1381 extreme weight loss 2 lbs/ week

This is based on her being extremely active, although not the highest level of activity.

From the Mayo Clinic calculator, I got 2100 as the average calorie needs daily. That is congruent with the numbers from calculator.net.

Here’s the problem: reality.

Her usual caloric intake has been 1500 - 1881 for a very long time. She isn’t kicking up her metabolism with meals or with activity. Essentially by eating that little consistently for so long (while not losing) and exercising significantly, she’s likely slowed her metabolism.

She’s putting one foot on the accelerator (exercise) and one foot on the brake (low calorie diet) constantly.

She can’t lose weight because she’s not eating enough.

What’s the Answer to Better Exercise Nutrition in Menopause or Beyond? Cycling her higher and lower calories for her active and rest days will help.

Most importantly though is looking at the content of her meals.

If she’s not getting enough protein, shown in studies with peri and post menopausal women both, to be a key indicator of fat loss, she’ll lose a significant amount of lean muscle when she loses weight. That reduces her metabolism further.

The opposite of the desired effect.

Protein recommendations also vary significantly. But the work of Dr Donald Layman, Blake Rasmussen and Douglas Paddon-Jones, have shown that distributing protein in a minimum of 25-30 grams per meal and reaching your total protein intake daily helps avoid muscle loss.

The work shared by Dr. Bill Campbell tells us that increasing protein without changing calories at all, spurs fat loss.

Dr. Gabrielle Lyon has shared a simple way of estimating protein need - steeped in science - that is 1 gram of protein per lb of body weight as a goal. For weight loss (without muscle loss), that number increases while your total caloric intake decreases.

Intermittent fasting can be helpful, for some, twofold. One, it reduces the eating window, almost automatically reducing caloric intake. Even if you have the license to eat, if you have increased protein intake wisely to reduce muscle loss, and you’re eating fibrous foods, your satiety level will prevent you from eating too much.

That said, cycling your intermittent fasting windows is also helpful. Any time you adopt a strict schedule or a strict calorie count, or carb count, you risk the body adapting and slowing metabolism to compensate. That’s the opposite desired effect.

You have to fuel exercise. Exercise is a muscle breakdown activity. The rebuild occurs between sessions - if you allow enough time, and enough fuel to do so.

You can play with the calculator.net site. It calls this cycling a zig-zag schedule. But it’s the same … I’d have my client boost calories sometimes for one week during a build muscle focus. The next week we’d have a moderate caloric deficit and workouts that are shorter and less demanding.

Or we have higher caloric days and lower calorie days (as well as carb levels higher and lower) while protein remains high consistently.

Beyond the Calories You Need in Menopause: More or Less Fat? Wonder about how much fat? Studies shared- again via Bill Campbell, PhD - say it matters very little and is just your preference. You can experiment. Genetically, I’m predisposed to do better with slightly higher carbs. You may be otherwise and you don’t need to do a DNA test to find out. Most of us know by now. When balancing the calories you need in menopause, remember flexibility is key; you can adjust fats and carbs while maintaining essential protein levels for a vibrant health balance.

If you want to lose weight and aren’t - but are thinking low carb works for you - you could be wrong! Be open to testing for yourself.

But the beauty of the science is that as long as protein increases within a set calorie intake, the fat or carbs can go up or down. You have room to enjoy the birthday cake or a favorite seasonal meal that might be higher in carbs, and you haven’t blown it! You’d simply reduce the amount of fat you consumed that day.

Resources: Calorie Calculator: https://www.calculator.net/calorie-calculator.html

See How You Eat: https://seehowyoueat.com/

MacroFirst: https://www.macrosfirst.com/

Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/calorie-calculator/itt-20402304

FDA FoodCentral database: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/

Other Episodes You Might Like: Why Calories Burned from Exercise Don’t Get You Fit: https://www.flippingfifty.com/calories-burned-from-exercise/

Muscle Protein Synthesis In Menopause: How to Plan Pre and Post WOrkout:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/muscle-protein-synthesis-in-menopause/

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How much magnesium should you include in your daily regimen? Magnesium is involved in over 300 biochemical reactions in the body, impacting everything from your energy levels to how well you sleep at night. But the question remains: how much do you really need to support your health during menopause?

How much magnesium do you need? The daily recommended intake of magnesium varies, but generally, women aged 50 and above should aim for about 320 mg per day. However, needs can vary based on individual health conditions and dietary intake.

To find out how much magnesium works for you, start with a lower dose and gradually increase it. Monitor how you feel—improvements in sleep, mood stabilization, and general well-being are indicators that your magnesium intake is on point.

If you suspect you’re low on magnesium, especially during menopause, it’s a common concern. Talk to your healthcare provider about how much magnesium is right for you and explore the best ways to maintain adequate levels through diet or supplements.

My Guest: Dr. Carolyn Dean, MD, ND, is a respected expert in holistic health, particularly known for her work in magnesium therapy. She has authored influential books, including "The Magnesium Miracle," and advocates for the use of natural remedies in achieving optimal health. Dr. Dean also develops nutritional supplements and is widely recognized for her contributions to holistic health and wellness. For detailed information, visit her official website or consult her latest publications.

Questions We Answer in This Episode: * What are the top twelve reasons magnesium is foundational to women’s physical and mental health? [00:07:55] * How many traditional diagnoses could very well be magnesium deficiency in disguise? [00:09:25] * The importance of magnesium as a partner/co-factor with other essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamin D and calcium.[00:08:25] * How magnesium is an essential factor in mitochondrial integrity and energy production. [00:27:55] * How to choose the right magnesium. [00:17:25] * How to properly supplement with magnesium. [00:25:25]

Connect with Dr. Carolyn Dean MD ND: Website: https://drcarolyndean.com/

On Social:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drcarolyndeanmdnd ****

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drcarolyndean/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrCarolynDean

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@drcarolyndeanmdnd4601

Resources: Book: Magnesium- The Missing Link to Total Health - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CD993TF3

5 Day Flip: https://www.flippingfifty.com/5dayflip

Other Episodes You Might Like: * What Is BioHacking? | Women’s Health - https://www.flippingfifty.com/what-is-biohacking/ * Electrolytes for Hydration: Beyond Water, Heat, and Exercise - https://www.flippingfifty.com/electrolytes-for-hydration/ * One Easy Fitness Nutrition Hack You Could Be Missing - https://www.flippingfifty.com/fitness-nutrition/

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Confidence you gain in menopause could light a fire under you like never before in your life. What’s not to love? You raised kids who are good people. You like them. You survived stuff. You know real drama and you're done with mean girls who have time to leave comments on your social media platforms.

If you apply to be a guest on the Flipping 50 show here to talk about self doubt in midlife you’ll get rejected. I’d rather talk about the confidence you gain. Wouldn’t you?

I recently, very recently vetoed an application for a podcast to Flipping 50 based on going from self doubt to confidence. The premise was women in midlife go through menopause with hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, weight gain and feel unsure and uncertain about themselves and their futures.

Welcoming the confidence you gain in menopause lets you charge into this exciting chapter with all the fierceness you've earned—because, let's face it, you're not just surviving, you're thriving!

Confidence You Gain in Menopause from Women You’re Around So, I ask you, is that what you want to hear? Because it’s not what you’re going to get here. In fact, this very same afternoon, I had that proposal via email, I met a midlife woman who made me question whether I was living up to my capacity!

And you know after talking to her I was feeling inspired. Inspired to bike a little longer, hike a little higher, stretch myself (not talking about yoga here) a little more.

I saw possibilities.

In the other proposal, and by no intention on the sender’s part - of that I’m absolutely certain - I felt myself hitting a glass ceiling of sorts. I finished - well I didn’t … because I was clearly already forming this podcast in my mind… feeling like it would be enough to settle for overcoming the symptoms of menopause.

We’ve got to stop this.

Stop it right now.

OKAY, yes. I get that many of you are dealing with hot flashes night sweats and it’s not as easy as stopping the wine, sugar in other forms, reducing processed foods and simple carbs and bumping protein and the intensity of your workouts or…more walking.

[However, by the way these things help!]

But I’ve watched women in midlife who might have been worried about what people will think or unsure of what they want, and reluctant about asking for it even if they did, be pretty dam sure of themselves.

Actress Jodie Foster (and by the way she acted and directed Nyad and if you haven’t seen it and doubt what you can do at any age, watch it). It’s worth the extra subscription to Netflix to see it. I may or may not have watched it two days in a row.

I’m a study of 1, but here’s how I felt flipping 60. I spent the 10 days following that birthday completely differently than I did the approach to it.

The approach to it felt a little like wanting to rush against time and get as fit as possible, or see more muscle or less fat on the Smart Scale or do more pull ups.

And after, I became obsessed with things I’ve put off and haven’t done.

• I registered for an Ironman. (more on that later)
• I booked nearly a month in Colorado this summer.
• I got tickets to what for me will be an epic concert - James Taylor at Red Rocks Amphitheater
• I chose clearly based on core values between two things I desperately wanted and suddenly the universe gave me both by rescheduling the second to a later date.

Can You Tell Me About the Confidence You Gained in Menopause ?

I want to hear from you.

I’ve heard from a few of you. You’ve decided to keep working because you love it and don’t love the idea of retiring with your spouse and being around the house together without purpose all day.

You’re not being disrespectful to your partner but you’re being more respectful to yourself and saying no, no thank you to say yes to yourself.

You’re realizing that little subtle comments from others can be harmful to your own ability to decide for yourself and you’re asking for what you need.

Menopause, midlife, a notable birthday… will do that for you.

Some of you learned through tragedy earlier. There’s wisdom in witnessing tragedy and having to step into courage you didn’t know you had because you have to.

Use it dear listener. Use it to your advantage. Don’t hide it any more.

Stop saying, “I’m sorry” for doing your job for needing to speak up.

It’s time we give ourselves permission.

I’d love to hear from you. When you see this episode posted on Facebook or Instagram, will you share what you’re shrugging off and or stepping into?

And would you share how your fitness has been a part of that?

I’ll leave you with this: When she lifts heavy things, she can more easily weather heavy things in life.

She may ask your opinion. She’s not asking for permission.

She does not fear getting old, she’s got her eye on getting bold.

More than she wants to lose weight, she wants to lift weight.

She doesn’t look forward to retirement, she is interested in rewirement.

She doesn’t fear falls as much as she fears stalls.

She can walk with power toward things, or walk away from things.

She doesn’t feel invisible. She feels invincible.

There’s no more powerful health influencer in the world than a midlife woman.

She’s responsible for 85% of all household decisions, and has 3 generations of influence.

When a woman changes her own story, she changes history.

Resources: My TEDx talk: https://www.flippingfifty.com/TEDx

You Still Got It, Girl! The book: 40+: https://www.flippingfifty.com/wwwexercise

Other Episodes You Might Like:

BUILD MUSCLE and LOSE FAT in MENOPAUSE:

• Why You Can’t Lose Fat in Menopause -

https://www.flippingfifty.com/lose-fat-in-menopause/ * Enhancing Gut Health to Enhance Weight Loss & Muscle Strength - https://www.flippingfifty.com/gut-health/ * Think You’re Too Old? Ageism Dismantled with Ashton Applewhite - https://www.flippingfifty.com/ageism-dismantled/

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There’s a good chance you have concerns about pelvic floor health in menopause or before or after and either don’t know it or don’t talk about it. If you don’t know it, it’s because you’ve never associated gas or inability to control your urge to go with pelvic floor for just one example. Most of us don’t talk about it. Not with our partner, our friends or even our doctor.

I know because for years I was a trainer who didn’t ask this question. And needed to. And it’s only recently I realized that women don’t even associate a need to tell this with the type of exercise they do or don’t do.

Embrace Pelvic Floor Health in Menopause for wellness. If you've been ignoring or are unaware of Pelvic Floor Health in Menopause, it's time to tune in and take control. Engaging in the right types of exercise can make a significant difference, not just for pelvic health but for your overall wellbeing during menopause.

My Guest: Kim Vopni is a self-professed kegel maven and is known as The Vagina Coach. She is a certified fitness professional who became passionate about spreading information on pelvic health after the birth of her first child over 18 years ago.

She is an author, a passionate speaker, and a women’s health educator. Her most recent book, Your Pelvic Floor, launched in March 2020 and was on the bestseller list immediately.

After experiencing the upheaval of perimenopause she began educating herself on ways to support her own body and then took a certification to become a Menopause Support Practitioner so she could help others navigate the transition with ease.

Kim offers online programs and coaching for women through all life stages but the majority of her client base is in the peri and postmenopausal phase of life. Her Buff Muff app is an ever-growing community where people from around the world find support through her 28 day challenges and monthly membership.

Kim also certifies other fitness and movement professionals to work with women with core and pelvic floor challenges through her Core Confidence Specialist Certification and Pre/Postnatal Fitness Specialist Certification.

You can find her on-line through her podcast Between Two Lips, her website at www.vaginacoach.com and on social media @vaginacoach

Questions We Answer in This Episode: * What is the pelvic floor and why is it important [00:08:40] * What is it about pelvic floor health in menopause that’s unique? [00:10:50] * What are the most common signs/symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction [00:13:50] * What can we do about it? [00:13:40]

Connect with Kim Vopni: Website:

https://www.vaginacoach.com/

On Social:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VagCoach

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vaginacoach/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/KimVopniTheVaginaCoach/videos

Other Episodes You Might Like: * Sexual Wellness AMA with Women’s Sexual Health Expert Lyndsey Harper - https://www.flippingfifty.com/sexual-health-expert/ * Intimacy and Incontinence with The Girlfriend Doctor - https://www.flippingfifty.com/the-girlfriend-doctor/ * Your Pelvic Floor: Prolapse and Incontinence - https://www.flippingfifty.com/your-pelvic-floor/

Resources:

Kim’s Buff Muff App: https://www.buffmuffapp.com/

What When & Why to Exercise for Women 40+:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/wwwexercise

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Fitness Shifts in Menopause: When Your Trainer May Not Get You Results Your trainer may not get you results in menopause. Rethink your trainer-led workouts. It’s not his or her fault, but it’s critical to understand that what worked for you in your 30s or 40s might not be effective now.

It wasn’t until I created Flipping 50 in 2013, and then finally created the Flipping 50 Menopause Fitness Specialist in 2018 that I knew of training in existence for trainers or health coaches of midlife women.

Some trainers, often fitness enthusiasts themselves, may venture to advise based on their own readings or experiences. However, this might not be sufficient to guide decisions on the critical aspects of aging optimally: your muscle, bone, and brain health. It's vital to recognize when your trainer may not get you results and seek tailored guidance that addresses your unique needs during menopause.

Ask these Questions to Avoid Getting a Trainer That May Not Get You Results: 1. What specific training have you had about training women in midlife? 2. What is unique in the way you train women in midlife vs younger women/older women or men? 3. How do you define success? 4. What kinds of things will you be asking me to do? 5. What are the most important components of the work we’ll do together? 6. I’ve heard it said that guidelines and quotas for exercise aren’t necessarily the best way for women to design an exercise program. What are your thoughts on programming for me? 7. How do you measure success?

That’s a start. And if you are a trainer or coach who works with women in midlife, I highly recommend you consider one of three programs: * Dr. Stacy Sims offers a course * Girls Gone Strong offers a Women’s training course * Flipping 50 Menopause Fitness Specialist© (for building your entire business, including marketing and training strategies)

Something is better than nothing or winging it by reading a lot and having gone through it yourself, is not science. You’re a study of one. Until you’ve coached thousands so you’re truly an expert with the time and hours and worked with the unique differences of individuals, none of us can justify our personal experience as a credible authority.

Resources: What, When & Why to Exercise for Women 40+ summit: https://www.flippingfifty.com/wwwexercise

5 Day Flip: https://www.flippingfifty.com/5dayflip

Other Episodes You Might Like: Don’t Let Cortisol Derail Your Results: https://www.flippingfifty.com/cortisol-hormone/

How to Choose a Fitness Pro: https://www.flippingfifty.com/need-a-coach/

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If you’re juggling the desire for longevity benefits of fasting with the need to prevent muscle loss in menopause, this is for you!!

Prioritize your fasting and lean muscle goals and objectives! In this episode we guide listeners on how to set their health and fitness goals based on their current status, determining when fasting is a suitable approach, and balancing the benefits of fasting with the necessity to prevent muscle loss in menopause.

Exertion Levels During Fasting? What should and can you do during physical exercise when fasting?

Fasting for Women Aged 45-70 is unique. Yes, longevity but no to frailty. How do you juggle this?

My Guest: Shawn Wells, MPH, LDN, RD, CISSN, FISSN

A globally acclaimed expert in nutritional biochemistry, known as "The World's Greatest Formulator," boasts over two decades of experience, formulating over 1000+ products globally and holding more than 25+ patents, including market leaders like TeaCrine and Dynamine. As a Registered Dietitian, Certified Sports Nutritionist, and with a Master's in Nutritional Biochemistry, this professional has profoundly impacted the supplement industry and healthcare sectors. Serving as Chief Science Officer, they were instrumental in driving a major nutrition company's $125MM annual revenue and played a pivotal role in transactions exceeding $425 million. Their business acumen is complemented by ownership stakes in eight enterprises. Notably, they are a revered keynote speaker on psychopharmacology and mental health, sharing their expertise worldwide. Their journey overcoming personal health challenges adds a layer of inspiration to their contributions, which extend through documentaries, TV appearances, and comprehensive online resources, helping to optimize health and well-being globally.

Shawn brings a wealth of knowledge from his extensive research and personal experiences. He will offer actionable advice on how to prevent muscle loss in menopause.

Questions We Answer in This Episode: Clarification on Fasting: Addressing common confusions about fasting, such as:

• How long should one fast? [00:07:53]
• How to know when fasting becomes excessive? [00:14:47]
• What qualifies as fasting (e.g., low-calorie diets, eating windows)? [00:20:25]

Website: https://shawnwells.com/

Website for custom formulations: https://zonehalo.com/

On Social: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/shawnwells/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/shawnwells

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Ingredientologist

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ingredientologist/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/Ingredientology

Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/ingredientologist/

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@ingredientologist?lang=en

Other Episodes You Might Like: Pair Exercise and Fasting After 40: https://www.flippingfifty.com/intermittent-fasting-and-exercise/

Midlife Changes with Intermittent Fasting with Gin Stephens: https://www.flippingfifty.com/midlife-changes/

HRT to Avoid Muscle Loss After Menopause? Is It the Answer?: HRT to Avoid Muscle Loss After Menopause? Is It the Answer? (flippingfifty.com)

Overcoming Confusing Muscle Loss During Menopause: Overcoming Confusing Muscle Loss During Menopause (flippingfifty.com)

Resources: Blood Glucose Monitor: https://www.flippingfifty.com/myglucose

What When Why to Exercise for Women 40+: https://www.flippingfifty.com/wwwexercise

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If this is you overdoing exercise in menopause, it’s very possible you might be saying that you love exercise so it’s not you. In this episode I’m going to talk about:

• Low dopamine receptors
• Addiction

You see it in those recovered from drugs or taking a break from drugs only to become obsessed with exercise. It’s the similar phenomena. They want to feel good. The only time they do feel good might be when they’re at the gym or running depending on the activity of choice.

For midlife women, exercise sometimes goes flat. The same exercise they use to do no longer gives that sense of high. The feel-good hormones aren’t released at the same level. It’s because there are fewer dopamine receptors.

The very thing you’re doing, the discipline, the regular schedule that once was admired and possibly a source of pride and reason you were fit and envied, now can actually be causing exhaustion, loss of muscle and not just not working. It’s likely getting the opposite desired effect.

You might just watch a friend, an inactive counterpart until now, start exercise and make beginner progress that leaves you envious.

You wonder, why is this happening to me?

And it’s almost like an addiction. You want to feel good, Overdoing exercise in menopause is about wanting to feel like your old self again, so in effort to “get back to how you used to feel” you try the exercise you used to do.

That, friend, is going to backfire big time.

The hardest thing for you to do, is the thing you must, and that’s stop working out so much.

How to Stop Overdoing Exercise in Menopause That’s hard so here are a few suggestions.

Kelly was a client back in the 90s. She worked full time and got up daily to work out beforehand. You might know her. Every gym has a Kelly. She was at the gym before it opened, waiting for the employee to arrive unlock the doors and turn on the lights.

But Kelly’s over-exercise in midlife (combined with undereating, too little recovery time) got her injured and unable to do anything but swim. In a University town with no less than 3 pools, Kelly couldn’t find one with hours to help her get her exercise “fix” in before work. So she got up at 4 to drive 30 minutes to a neighboring town, swim her lengthy workout at the Y there, and return in time to be at work at 8am.

Janet, worked a shift at a hospital and still belonged to a gym in a neighboring town she used to live in. She would get up at 3am to drive 45 minutes (one way) to work out at the gym and still make it back in time for her early starting shift. She’d put in a full day and if it was light outside after work she would often walk 1-2 hours more even though she was on her feet all day.

Erin was a pre-physical therapy student. She was as driven by her workouts as she was to succeed in school. She would workout for 1-2 hours every morning and again at the end of her school day, having a bagel and some tuna for lunch, but eating little else and rarely if ever taking a day off. She would get ready for school in the locker room, drying her hair in her underwear, little by little becoming so emaciated her ribs protruded from her chest and her pelvic bones from her hips. She still felt fat.

While some of these situations might overlap eating disorders, they are also of an addictive nature. The drug of choice is exercise. The amount of exercise it takes has escalated to a point it is doing damage to the body but the brain no longer sees it or care.

That’s not necessarily you, but we often get so lost in our own thoughts and believe whatever it is we’re thinking is true. While all that’s true is our belief of it.

You don’t have to be at such an extreme to experience accelerated aging and negative effects on muscle mass.

How to Give Up Overexercising in Menopause for the Results You Really Want The solution has got to be something to support the balancing of your hormones. Muscle is an endocrine organ. It can influence insulin, cortisol, growth hormone and testosterone. Of those, do you know which is the most important?

Pregnant pause here while I wait for you to answer. Here they are again: insulin, cortisol, growth hormone and testosterone. Which is most important?

The most important hormone to control is cortisol. If you don’t, the negative spiral looks something like this:

• Cortisol rises (or tanks)
• Blood sugar rises (even if you ate nothing) – inflammatory response
• Insulin rises (you’re in fat storage)
• Cortisol blocks production of progesterone so that alone can put you in estrogen dominance (fat storage)
• Cortisol wonky usually negatively impacts quality of sleep
• Ghrelin and Leptin are off the next day

We can’t shoot all our stressors. But we can find joy. Positive hormones dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin and endorphins from exercise all help to offset this.

If you would and could do ONE thing today, this week or this month that would help you improve ability to burn fat, gain muscle, sleep better, decrease cravings… it would be optimize cortisol levels.

Here are some suggestions: * Go for frequent walks * Get outdoors * Spend time with a pet * Call a friend * Enjoy a belly laugh (movies, jokes, friends) * Try yoga instead of HIIT * Try Pilates for a week instead of tough strength training workouts

Do you want to lift (and lift heavy) and does HIIT have a place? Absolutely, but not if it’s backfiring. Then we take those out, build the movement foundation again once we regain the energy. We call it here, Restore Before More™.

In a state of cortisol imbalance we don’t have the building blocks for lean muscle. Once you essentially plug the holes on a sinking ship, it stops sinking and we can focus on moving forward again.

Can you relate? I’d love to hear from you if you want to share even anonymously.

Resources: What, When & Why to Exercise for Women 40+ summit: https://www.flippingfifty.com/wwwexercise

5 Day Flip: https://www.flippingfifty.com/5dayflip

Other Episodes You Might Like: Understanding the Role of Cortisol and Exercise in Menopause: https://www.flippingfifty.com/cortisol-and-exercise/

Cortisol: Don’t Let It Derail Your Fitness: https://www.flippingfifty.com/cortisol-hormone/

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Reverse biological age with the concept of a secret clock within your body. Imagine it can make you look and feel older or younger than you are. It's like having a magical switch that can change how old your body seems.

Believe it or not, our unconscious mind holds a lot of sway over our health and aging process. Hidden emotional traumas play a big role. But here's the exciting part: we have the ability to change how we respond to stress and emotional challenges, effectively hitting the rewind button on aging. It's all about taking control and making small shifts that can lead to big changes in how we look and feel.

My Guest: Neuroscience has shown that 95% of our life experiences are shaped by unconscious programs. Dr. Olga Stevko, MD from Russia has created a unique and powerful methodology that allows her to identify and transform unconscious programs which are caused by stressful life events and trauma, including trauma passed down genetically as transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. These programs influence how people perceive themselves, others and the world around them and also affect nervous system responses that impact both body and mind. This phenomenon creates a wide variety of physiological, physical, mental, and emotional conditions —from insomnia and anxiety to health issues, premature aging and struggles with communication. Transforming unconscious programs will change how the nervous system reacts to everything that triggers flight, fight and freeze responses, and how people look, think, feel, react, and behave. This methodology is extraordinarily effective to reverse biological age and produces fast, permanent, and life changing results.

Questions We Answer in This Episode: ●How unconscious programs are forming, and how they affect the nervous system?[00:011:20]

●How unconscious programs can accelerate aging? [00:16:30] ●How fast can people experience reversing their biological age after transforming some unconscious programs? [00:23:40] ●What modalities/techniques/tactics can we use in order to slow our aging? [00:28:20]

Connect with Dr. Olga: Website: https://www.drolga.com/

On Social: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.olgastevko6537/videosL

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-olga-stevko-9a2a169/

Resources: What, What & Why to Exercise for Women 40+ event: https://www.flippingfifty.com/wwwexercise

Other Episodes You Might Like: Healing Trauma to Lose Weight: What if it’s Not Stress?: https://www.flippingfifty.com/healing/

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Here are the supplements I use daily for lean muscle in menopause. And it’s made a difference. A big difference.

In the recent previous solo episodes on less belly fat, I pointed out that muscle loss is essentially fat gain. My 60th birthday also prompted a mental inventory of well, everything from the major changes in my life and business, and I also looked at my most important moments and happiest memories… and my physical health.

So if you didn’t listen to the solo last week about how since 50 I gained 4lbs lean muscle and lost 4% body fat… plus a whole swing to bad and back to good again in the middle, listen to that one. How thrilled would I be to do the same from 60 to 70? But I promised in response to questions to answer not just the carefully designed strength programs I use (and share with you) but how I support that with supplements and eating.

The Benefits That You Could Get From These Supplements For Lean Muscle in Menopause: The Benefits That You Could Get From These Supplements for Lean Muscle in Menopause: * Protein Powder: Protein powder supports muscle repair and recovery, aids in maintaining lean muscle mass, and can contribute to healthy bone density. It is particularly effective in stimulating muscle protein synthesis, crucial for combating age-related muscle loss. [00:07:13]

Need a quick list of High Protein Meals I like? Here are 8: https://www.flippingfifty.com/high-protein-recipes * Essential Amino Acids (EAAs): EAAs are crucial for muscle protein synthesis, the process by which the body repairs and rebuilds muscle fibers. These amino acids cannot be produced by the body and must be obtained through diet or supplementation. For women over 40, EAAs can significantly support the maintenance of muscle mass, which naturally begins to decline with age. [00:12:37] * Creatine: Creatine is well known for its benefits in increasing strength, power output, and muscle mass. It helps regenerate ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the primary energy carrier in cells, which is crucial for short bursts of power and strength. For women over 40, creatine can help improve muscle mass, cognitive function, and potentially bone density. [00:13:57] * Vitamin D: Vitamin D plays a crucial role in bone health by facilitating calcium absorption, which is vital for maintaining strong bones. It also supports muscle function and has been linked to improved immune system health. [00:15:42] * Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Omega-3 fatty acids are known for their anti-inflammatory properties, which can benefit muscle recovery and joint health. They also play a critical role in cardiovascular health and cognitive function. For women over 40, incorporating Omega-3s can help mitigate the risks of chronic diseases and support overall well-being. [00:16:15] * Magnesium: Magnesium is vital for muscle function, supporting relaxation and reducing cramps. It also plays a key role in energy production, bone health, and maintaining a healthy nervous system. For women over 40, magnesium can help improve sleep quality, a common challenge during menopause. [00:18:18] * Collagen: Collagen is crucial for skin elasticity, joint health, and the integrity of connective tissues. Supplementing with collagen can support skin hydration and reduce the appearance of wrinkles, which may be more pronounced post-menopause. It also plays a role in bone and muscle health, potentially aiding in the prevention of age-related muscle loss and bone density reduction. Many women supplementing with collagen report reduced joint stiffness and increased healing time in the event of injury. [00:20:37] * Calcium: Essential for bone health, calcium supports the development and maintenance of strong bones, reducing the risk of osteoporosis. It's also vital for muscle function, nerve signaling, and heart health. [00:23:22]

There you have it, supplements for lean muscle in menopause (and beyond). Indirectly, there may be more but these are keys. You’ve heard me speak about the “extras” I use like c60, Mitopure and these too are indirectly related to recovery, mitochondrial function which boosts capacity for exercise allowing the right exercise to boost the mitochondria more. Other things like matcha and or clean coffee are in my arsenal too. They’re daily habits but they contribute to accelerated fat burning, elevated performance during workouts. As you weave through your habits, knowing sleep and gut health are crucial to lean muscle and body composition, you might find betaine HCL, melatonin, or 5 htp is also a key for you.

Coming up later this month we’re talking about Pelvic Health.

Resources: Flipping 50 Paleo Protein: https://www.flippingfifty.com/protein

Flipping 50 Plant Protein: https://www.flippingfifty.com/protein

Flipping 50 Burn Boost (with Leucine): https://www.flippingfifty.com/protein

Flipping 50 Collagen Boost: https://www.flippingfifty.com/protein

Essential Amino Acids: https://www.flippingfifty.com/staylean

Creatine: https://amzn.to/3PxXK2x

Magnesium: https://amzn.to/3PxXK2x

Micronutrient Testing: https://www.yourlabwork.com/flipping-50 code: Flipping50

What, When & Why to Exercise summit 2024: https://www.flippingfifty.com/wwwexercise

References: Over 18 references were used for this episode. The full list will be released later this month and we’ll be sharing it with our subscribers. If you’re registering for the What, When & Why to Exercise for Women 40+ summit you’ll get it with your registration too!

Previous Episodes You Might Like: I Gained Muscle After 50: How I Lost Fat

https://www.flippingfifty.com/Gained-muscle-after-50

Less Belly Fat: Muscle Loss is Fat Gain in Menopause:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/less-belly-fat-muscle-loss-is-fat-gain-in-menopause-2/

Live Longer Regardless of Your Biological Age:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/live-longer-regardless-of-your-biological-age/

Follow me on:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/flipping50tv

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flipping50tv

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flipping50tv

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A new weight loss mindset is critical to navigating the shifting sands of midlife. Just eating less or in moderation might not work for us like it used to, and it's important to understand why.

Instead of sticking to old ideas, we need to rethink how we approach food and weight loss. Let's talk about the myths that hold us back and discover the truths that can help us move forward.

Starting with a new weight loss mindset is key. We can find better ways to take care of our bodies and manage weight.

So when the doctor says, "Start with the mindset," believe it. It's true.

My Guest: Dr. Ashley Lucas is the owner, founder and advisory consultant for PHD Weight Loss and Nutrition. She has over 15 years of education in the field of nutrition and metabolism. In her mid-20s, she retired from her professional ballet career. While understanding the importance nutrition played in her sports performance, she earned her Ph.D. in Sports Nutrition and Chronic Disease from Virginia Tech. Her research throughout her six-year post-graduate doctoral training focused on energy metabolism and the Female Athlete Triad. She was awarded the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Scholarship and completed her dietetic internship at The Ohio State University. She passed the national examination, which registered her as a dietitian offering expert food, wellness, and nutrition services. Dr. Lucas is a nationally renowned speaker, columnist, and leading expert in weight management and behavior change.

Through a scientific method that focuses not only on the metabolic consequences of fat gain but also on the behavioral and psychological aspects, she created and continues to innovate the PHD Approach, which has helped thousands of people nationwide achieve their peak wellness once and for all.

Questions We Answer in This Episode: * What do we do at PHD? [00:04:29] * Most common myths re: weight loss [00:19:11] * 5 steps to reset the scale [00:23:02] * Thoughts on Ozempic? [00:29:19]

Connect with Dr. Ashley Lucas: Website: https://myphdweightloss.com/

On Social

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr_ashleylucas/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@drashleylucas

Resources: PHD Weight Loss Program: https://myphdweightloss.com/our-approach/

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Scholarship: https://www.eatrightfoundation.org/foundation/apply-for-funding/scholarships

Other Episodes You Might Like: Midlife Weight Loss: Burn Body Fat, Balance Your Hormones

https://www.flippingfifty.com/midlife-weight-loss/

The Genetics of Metabolism and Weight Loss for Women Over 40

https://www.flippingfifty.com/genetics-of-metabolism/

Why Menopause Weight loss is So Hard and How Your Brain is Taking Over

https://www.flippingfifty.com/weight-loss-is-so-hard/

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Time Flies: How I Lost Fat and Gained Muscle After 50 In this episode, I'll share how I lost fat and gained muscle after 50 and discuss how I improved my body composition. There's a winning score at the end of this decade, but I was down by some significant points halfway through. Here's how I Caitlin-Clarked the strategy and came out ahead.

How I’ve added 4 lbs of lean muscle, lost 4% body fat from 50 to 60

I’ve added 4 lbs of lean muscle and lost 4% body fat this last decade. In between, I gained 12-14, or 13 lbs, of inflammation and also lost that!

Before I start, you need to know that I’ve been thinner. It’s no longer the goal. I’m kind of sick of it. For 40 years, I’ve watched the #1 motivator for women to exercise is weight loss. I’ve watched fitness professionals cover each other’s bodies, knowing the science and intelligence of what is genuinely fitness. However, they still wish they had someone’s body they perceived as better than their own. I’m really over it. If that is your number one goal, it may happen while you focus on something else, but it probably will NOT happen if you’re chasing the weight.

We still haven’t gotten the fact… fact… that you will attract and get to keep what you focus on. This is no longer woo-woo, pseudoscience. It is simply a fact. I WANT energy, strength, and the ability to hike the Grand Canyon well into my next 40 years. In the process, I will probably optimize my body composition, not because I’m chasing weight loss but because I want to do everything I should have been doing all along.

Serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin play a big part in how I gained muscle after 50, and we often forget about this. We get fleeting hits from exercise itself and long-lasting enjoyment from memories of living on the bucket list.

The other thing I realized just this week (approaching my 60th birthday) is that for way too long, I left things I love in my closet, saving them for … I’m not sure what. That ends. I wear fancy pants for dinner today and whenever I want to.

Apparently, I had to be 60 to give myself permission.

Here’s How I Gained Muscle After 50 The exercise & lifestyle changes that happened in this last decade:

• I prioritize protein and non-starchy veggies [over something low fat]
• I will eat dessert if I want it, but just last, and if it’s not that good, I can skip it.
• I focus on eating enough rather than eating less.
• I prioritize walking and weight training (even over HIIT)
• I implement recovery strategies daily, only now waiting until I need them.
• I lift heavy at a minimum once weekly but usually twice.
• I cycle training very consciously.
• I use explosive power and fast twitch agility 2-3 times weekly.
• I rest consciously between sets of exercises for the same muscle group.
• I recover like it’s my job after challenging workouts. I have food at the right time, rest and sleep, hydrate, and add 4 tools that help too.
• My gut health is a TOP priority. ANY sign is not optimal, and I fix it NOW.

Tools I Use to Enhance Recovery or Boost Performance RELIGIOUSLY:

Epsom salt baths (be sure there is NOTHING added)

Sunlighten Sauna: https://www.flippingfifty.com/sauna

Power Plate: https://www.flippingfifty.com/PowerPlate Code: Flipping50

Weighted Vest see my pics in Amazon store from https://www.flippingfifty.com/resources

One More Thing About Gaining Muscle After 50 Someone watched a video of Moses this week and commented, I wish I could get excited about nothing.

"A dog's life" is no joke. I leave him to go to the grocery store, and he has to hug me for a few minutes before letting me put groceries away. He's so excited I came back.

If you can get excited not just about the big things - the Grand Canyon in September – or a wedding in October – but about the things that happen EVERY DAY, then you're living well.

Take charge of your quality of life. By consistently tending to the little things, you'll find that the big things will fall into place.

I have no intention of letting my goals get smaller as I get older.

They're getting more significant. I hope yours are too. And I hope you're not putting them off. It won't get convenient… until we can't choose it anymore. Don't wish for that.

Curious about the supplements I use to support muscle? Stay tuned for the next solo episode, where I'll share all the details.

Resources: Stronger: https://www.flippingfifty.com/getstronger

Power Plate: (Save with code: Flipping50) https://www.flippingfifty.com/powerplate

Blood Glucose Monitor: https://www.flippingfifty.com/myglucose

What When Why to Exercise summit 2024:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/wwwexercise

Other Episodes You Might Like: Less Belly Fat: https://www.flippingfifty.com/less-belly-fat

How Much Protein Do You Need After 50:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/how-much-protein-do-you-really-need-after-50-research-update-on-more/

Muscle Protein Synthesis in Menopause: How to Plan Pre and Post Workout

https://www.flippingfifty.com/muscle-protein-synthesis-in-menopause/

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Toxins, like unwelcome party guests, invade our systems, disrupting crucial sex, stress, and thyroid hormones.

This reminds us of the damaging effects of toxins and the preventive steps we may utilize to lessen the impact of toxins that could disrupt the hormones in our bodies.

It all boils down to equipping ourselves with facts and simple solutions to support our body's natural detoxification processes and improve our sex, stress, thyroid hormones, and overall well-being.

My Guest: Dr. Wendy Myers is a Naturopathic doctor and founder of Myersdetox.com. She is an anti-aging, heavy metal detox, and bioenergetics expert and the #1 bestselling author of Limitless Energy: How to Detox Toxic Metals to End Exhaustion and Chronic Fatigue. Wendy is also the host of a top-rated podcast, the Myers Detox Podcast, about protecting your health with detoxification. She will provide insights on how toxins affect your sex, stress, and thyroid hormones.

Questions We Answer in This Episode: * What’s your background? Why did you get into the health field? [00:03:50] * Why do you think so many people have low hormone production today? [00:13:47] * What metals reduce adrenal sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone? [00:15:33] * What metals interfere with and reduce thyroid hormones? [00:17:18] * How can you best assess your toxicity levels? [00:19:04] * Can you give us some simple detox tips for the listeners to begin increasing their energy today? [00:20:32] * Where can listeners download your free Detox Checklist with your favorite detox tips? [00:27:38] * What is your favorite and most effective detox protocol? [00:28:47] * Where can the listeners find you and learn more about your work? [00:31:00]

Connect with Wendy Myers: Website: https://myersdetox.com/

Watch the docuseries: http://www.theheavymovie.com

On Social:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MyersDetox/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WendyMyers

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MyersDetox/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@myersdetox

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendymyersdetox

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MyersDetox

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MyersDetox/

Resources: Stronger: https://www.flippingfifty.com/getstronger

Energy Bits (Chlorophyll): https://www.flippingfifty.com/energybits

Detox Carbon 60: https://www.flippingfifty.com/c60

My Infrared Sauna: https://www.flippingfifty.com/sauna

HTMA: https://remede.com.au/comprehensive-testing/functional-pathology/hair-tissue-mineral-analysis-htma/

Other Episodes You Might Like: Restore Hormones to Factory Settings? More Science for bHRT

https://www.flippingfifty.com/restore-hormones/

Sexual Wellness AMA with Women’s Sexual Health Expert Lyndsey Harper

https://www.flippingfifty.com/sexual-health-expert/

Mothers and Daughters Hormones and Health Literacy

https://www.flippingfifty.com/hormones-and-health-literacy/

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For Less Belly Fat, Lift Weights: Muscle Loss is Fat Gain in Menopause For less belly fat, the deep visceral type that isn’t just vanity, it’s deadly, lift weights. While yes, High Intensity Interval Training (or HIIT) is notably recognized by science as a means for removing fat, it may have more positive impact on the over-the-top, er muffin top fat.

Weight training improves total body fat, abdominal belly fat and improves lean muscle resulting in “re-composition.” The influence of weight training decreases the risk of heart disease associated with waist girth. For women 35 or more inches at the waist is a heart health risk factor. However, if you’re a smaller woman, I think it’s important to note that less than 35 may still be a risk factor. Look in the mirror, and what do you see? If you carry your weight in your belly - an apple shape, more than a pear - you’re still at higher risk.

Let’s do something about that.

A few facts I know by heart and wish I didn’t: * 3-8% of muscle mass every decade beginning at age 30 * 15% loss of muscle strength each decade starting at 50 * 1-2% loss of muscle mass every year starting at 60

How that matters: * 50% of women over 50 have insulin resistance * Muscle mass loss can be prevented and or muscle mass can be gained by weight training plus nutritional and lifestyle habit strategies. * Yet fewer than 20% of women are lifting weights at least twice weekly. * If we could dig into that deeper we would likely find a much smaller percentage of women over 50 are strength training.

Is a diagnosis all we're waiting for? Are we holding off till it's more convenient?

Nothing good ever is.

Throughout time, there’s been about 2 studies showing that there may be spot-reducing with core work. But that’s over 4 decades. When research produces strong evidence, minds have to be changed, but in my point of view, if you spend more than five minutes a day working out your core and hope to lose visceral belly fat, you will see improvements in your body.

What else matters when you’re lifting weights and potentially don’t see the changes occur:

• Aim for 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight
• Take 5gm creatine daily
• Aim for at least 2.5 -3.0 g leucine per 25-30 gram protein at multiple meals for elderly and more for young adults (where does that leave you midlifer?)
• Lift weights at least twice weekly for all major muscle groups
• Perform multiple sets
• Meet daily sleep needs
• Avoid under eating (a situation of low energy availability)
• Walk daily
• Avoid excessive cardio

(Keep cortisol and blood sugar levels in control)

Connect with Debra Atkinson: Website: https://www.flippingfifty.com/

On Social:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Flipping50TV

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flipping50tv or https://www.instagram.com/flipping50

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debraatkinson or https://www.linkedin.com/company/flipping50

Resources: Stronger: https://www.flippingfifty.com/getstronger

Power Plate: (Save with code: Flipping50) https://www.flippingfifty.com/powerplate

Blood Glucose Monitor: https://www.flippingfifty.com/myglucose

HIIT: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/high-intensity-interval-training/

Other Episodes You Might Like: Low Energy Availability in Menopause? Eating Too Little to Feel Good or Age Well

https://www.flippingfifty.com/low-energy-availability-in-menopause/

How Much Protein Do You Need After 50:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/how-much-protein-do-you-really-need-after-50-research-update-on-more/

Weight Gain in Perimenopause and Menopause

https://www.flippingfifty.com/weight-gain-in-perimenopause-and-menopause/

10 Comprehensive Ways Resistance Training Revolutionizes Menopause Health

https://www.flippingfifty.com/resistance-training-revolutionizes-menopause-health/

Exercise Physiology Plus Menopause Physiology for the Midlife Exercise Rx

https://www.flippingfifty.com/midlife-exercise-rx/

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Older-shmolder! How taking control of your biological age can help you live longer, better. This episode is going to have something for everyone in your life. From the food you eat and daily habits you have, you will findout how to reverse your old age before it even happens.

My Guest

Dr. Kara Fitzgerald is an award-winning clinical researcher of biological age reversal using a diet and lifestyle intervention developed in her virtual and in-person Functional Medicine clinic. She is the author of the book, Younger You and Program based on her ground-breaking 8-week clinical study and follow up case series that resulted in a 3-year and 4.6-year average reversalof biological aging, respectively. She also has a Younger You companion cookbook, Better Broths and Healing Tonics. Dr. Fitzgerald is an educator at the Institute for Functional Medicine(IFM), and is an IFM Certified Practitioner. She regularly lectures internationally and hosts the podcast New Frontiers in Functional Medicine.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• What prompted you to write this book (Younger You: Reduce Your Bio Age and Live Longer, Better? [00:03:36]
• What is DNA Methylation? [00:09:19]
• Why should you include mushrooms in your diet? [00:14:15]
• Which is more advantageous when it comes to biological age? Plant-based or animal-based products? [00:16:44]
• Talk to me a little bit about exercise. So what did you find was key? [00:23:38]
• How important is joy? [00:26:59]
• That period of time you were going through a really hard time. Is there any equivalent to that with resilience in life? [00:31:29]

Connect with Dr. Kara

Website: You can keep up-to-date with Dr. Fitzgerald’s work and programs by joining her e-newsletter list here https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com

On Social:

On Social:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrKaraFitzgerald/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkarafitzgerald/?hl=en

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-kara-fitzgerald-b77265b

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kfitzgeraldnd?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author

Other Episodes You Might Like:

The ABCs of Metabolic Mastery for Midlife Women

https://www.flippingfifty.com/metabolic-mastery/

What Are the Real Secrets to Longevity?

https://www.flippingfifty.com/real-secrets-to-longevity/

Low Energy Availability in Menopause? Eating Too Little to Feel Good or Age Well

https://www.flippingfifty.com/low-energy-availability-in-menopause/

Resources

Resources: YOUNGER YOU: https://youngeryouprogram.com/book/ https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sH9mkOeXhBDRryJwsQjOKIV34QOMg2rT/view?usp=drive_linkhttps:///www.flippingfifty.com/getstronger

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If you’re losing tone, can’t seem to get the results you deserve for the time and energy you spend, you can blame it on part on muscle protein synthesis in menopause. What you did that worked isn’t going to.

In the dance between muscle protein synthesis and muscle protein breakdown, you’re MPS is stepping out on you.

It’s going to take more effort to win this tango.

During menopause transition muscle protein breakdown occurs at a faster rate due to lower levels of Estrogen, not to mention testosterone.

Estrogen is a natural stimulus for muscle. The problem is multifaceted. Reduced testosterone (which can start declines much earlier than that in some women). If you’re not sleeping well at night or staying in deep sleep, the times when you do produce testosterone and growth hormone, another important factor in gaining lean muscle, you won’t have those important factors.

Also when you don’t sleep at night, too little/poorly, your cortisol and insulin levels are such that you’re in muscle breakdown and fat storage.

This is when a woman is in the gym, actually doing the things, and feeling as if she’s not getting rewards, or seeing results.

There are two things that stimulate muscle protein synthesis in menopause: -Adequate protein intake on a per meal basis

-Adequate mechanical stress to the muscles (resistance training)

That decreased muscle protein synthesis results in an increased need for protein (quality protein)

Sources that are best are high in leucine. Especially if you’re not consuming much protein or find it hard, you want to lean into leucine. Plant proteins unfortunately don’t have much leucine to help this process. Best sources are animal proteins like beef, bison or wild meats.

Here’s where I find some blogs, podcasts, even research findings let us down. Suggestions to supplement with leucine would be well-intended potentially for a frail, older adult unable to consume enough dietary protein, unwilling to or and at later stages of life.

But for a midlife woman with the potential for decades ahead of her, the full range of amino acids in the body will be important in her ability to thrive and maintain all areas of health. It’s the difference between hanging on, and better than nothing, and wanting energy and vitality.

In consideration of questions like, should I supplement with leucine? My thoughts are, not in isolation if you’re not getting adequate dietary protein. You may want ALSO to supplement specifically with it post workout, or at meals when you aren’t getting adequate protein but I like to see complete essential amino acids first before isolating with greater amounts of individual.

Even though, it is and has always been leucine that is associated with lean muscle gains. I began publishing The Protein Report for women in menopause in 2013. It stemmed from a Protein Symposium I had the honor of co-hosting at Iowa State University in honor of Steve Nissen, who had discovered HMB years earlier. If you’re familiar with products Boost and Ensure, you have some awareness of HMB. The ingredient is used more widely now, not only for the drinks intended to help bedridden frail consume high protein drinks to reduce muscle and strength losses.

HMB is another supplement question that more frequently comes up today. Should you supplement with HMB. Potentially if you’re struggling with the ability to consume high quality protein sources and you’re at high risk (low body weight, frail, fine boned, weak), it may be something to consider.

I also hesitate to suggest it to anyone without first looking at food logs and having you assess what you’re consuming from whole foods.

Good News About MPS in Menopause A study in the International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (2022) shows that when women in menopause increase dietary protein, good things happen that can offset potential muscle breakdown AND fat gain. There is a “protein hypothesis” (first published in 2005 in Obesity journal) that goes like this: when you’re not getting adequate protein, the body will signal hunger. Unfortunately, if protein isn’t the choice, often excess calories are consumed (with less satiety AND less micronutrient density) and still the protein need is incomplete. Muscle preservation doesn’t occur, while excess food is stored as fat.

You’re not as likely to overeat protein. In fact, these studies showed that when the percent of protein intake was increased, the total calories or energy consumed was either the same or reduced, but in most cases high protein was inversely related to total caloric intake. That is, you eat more protein, you consume less energy. If you’re seeking a caloric deficit, without feeling deprived, and you want to spare muscle loss and even gain lean muscle while losing fat, protein is the way to go. Again, satiety is your best friend.

And if you overeat a little more protein than you need, a recent study in Cell Reports Medicine showed that a big bolus of protein can result in a greater and more prolonged anabolic response. It was previously thought that there may be an upper limit of 40 grams by some.

The question still lingers though, what about women? Women in midlife and later, particularly with greater anabolic resistance than men and less muscle mass relative to their own body weight than men.

Post workout protein intake of 20-30 grams was previously sufficient in young adults (and mainly males, note this). For older adults to have the equal muscle protein synthesis, protein requirement post workout was double. That is 40 grams compared to 20 grams.

While it’s still a good idea to consume meals across the day if you’re going to take in fiber, vegetables that are micronutrient dense, if you are occasionally stuck and find yourself faced with not having gotten enough protein, having a bigger amount at a single meal (OMAD) or two larger meals may still support muscle protein synthesis. For most, long term ingestion of one meal a day is not sustainable if you value a social life and quote unquote breaking bread or pairing protein with loved-ones. But if you’re fasting, you may need to worry less about

If you’re seeking a caloric deficit, without feeling deprived, and you want to spare muscle loss and even gain lean muscle while losing fat, protein is the way to go.

Gain Muscle in Spite of Anabolic Resistance

According to the new recommendations by the International Society of Sports Nutrition, position stand for female athletes to counter Anabolic resistance – they should have at least 10 grams of protein before or immediately after exercise. In spite of the recently mentioned ability to potentially absorb a large bolus of protein, women in later stages of life with greater anabolic resistance may still find spreading doses of at least 30-40 grams or more over multiple meals 3-4 hours apart more beneficial.

Summary of Muscle Protein Synthesis in Menopause: At the very least, for high intensity intentional exercise beyond going for a walk, break the fast. Consume calories. Ideally higher in protein for resistance training exercise, and including protein for high intensity interval training.

Resources:

Power Plate with the Flipping 50 community code: Flipping50 https://www.flippnigfifty.com/PowerPlate

STRONGER Tone & Define: https://www.flippingfifty.com/getstronger

Other Episodes You Might Like:

3 Steps to Gain Lean Muscle in Menopause

https://www.flippingfifty.com/gain-lean-muscle/

It’s Not Just About How Much Protein | Menopause Fitness

https://www.flippingfifty.com/how-much-protein/

References:

https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1471-0528.17290?af=R

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-789X.2005.00178.x?_gl=11ijremv_gcl_au*OTUxOTIyNjcyLjE3MDgwODkzNDM.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/obr.12131

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666379123005402

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37221858/

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Restore before more is the number one tenant of Flipping 50. In this episode we visit the concept that you restore hormones using bHRT.

Whether you are or you aren’t. I’d say most women I know in 2024, are open to and already having conversations around hormone replacement.

In our 10th year at Flipping 50, we’ve been discussing pros and cons and what happens with body composition, bone density, muscle mass and brain health during menopause. We touch on the anecdotal evidence we have from thousands of participants, and fewer but more intimate, private clients who use or choose not to use bHRT and the results they get.

In this episode we introduce a new guest to the show who’s book “Restore” takes look at the benefits of bHRT. Whether you are, aren’t or your on the fence about ability to restore hormones and the effects on short and long term health, I think you’ll like this episode.

My Guest: Dr. Gregory J Brannon is a surgeon, public figure, and founder of the leading Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) practice Optimal Bio where he oversees seven offices across North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. In addition to his current role of Physician and Medical Director at Optimal Bio, Brannon uses over 30 years of medical experience to educate others on taking ownership of their health. Dr. Brannon is the author of the 2020 published book, The Hormone Handbook: Optimizing Your Health Through Bioidentical Hormones, and will publish a second book in Spring 2024 titled “Restore.”

Prior to spending 30 years as a successful private practice OBGYN in Cary, NC, Dr. Brannon completed his medical residency at University of Southern California Women’s Hospital, Los Angeles, and then served as assistant professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at University of North Carolina School of Medicine, with work at Wake Area Health Education Center.

Brannon’s OB/GYN experience sparked his interest in hormones and how they work within the body. Impressed and inspired by his experience with BHRT, Brannon opened Optimal Bio in Cary, NC in 2012. Optimal Bio is a BHRT practice dedicated to bringing people’s bodies back to the optimal levels they were initially designed to maintain.

Questions We Answer in This Episode: * What’s the longest documented use to date of bHRT? * What is some of the best research – documentation of the effects of bHRT on women who’ve taken them for decades vs have not on bone, muscle, brain health? * Tell us about the research cited in your upcoming book “Restore” as they relate to women a BHRT seeking to restore her hormones.

Connect with Greg: Website: https://optimalbio.com/

On Social:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OptimalBioBHRT

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/gregbrannonmd/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherawadmd?trk=public_post_feed-actor-name

https://www.instagram.com/optimalbio/

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRWEkzCUh_CHIBGB5dae5rw

Resources:

Upcoming book “Restore” which will be released on March 12, 2024. “Restore” is already available for preorder on Amazon, Target, Walmart and wherever books are sold. “Restore” in ebook form will be available via Kindle as of mid-January 2024.

Additional Books:

Nobody Wants You Healthy – Mark Richards

Estrogen Matters – Avrum Bluming, Carol Tavris

Obesity Code – Dr. Jason Fung

Other Episodes You Might Like:

A Hormone Therapy Roadmap: What, When & Why

https://www.flippingfifty.com/hormone-therapy-roadmap/

What Women Need to Know about Hormone Replacement Therapy

https://www.flippingfifty.com/what-to-know-about-hrt/

Your Hormones and Heart Health

https://www.flippingfifty.com/hormones-and-heart-health/

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Picture the headline: Resistance training revolutionizes menopause health. It’s that simple.

It’s 2024. We still hear both about the use of HRT or reasons (perhaps outdated) not to. We hear about both animal protein and the plant protein advocates.

With this simple method of – humor me – hormone enhancement – there is no argument. We all know we need to be doing it. We all understand the benefits of being strong and vibrant. But lest you confuse a need to lose fat with the need to gain lean muscle, this is for you.

Lifting already? Then you’ll love these reminders. After all, the placebo effect is in full swing at all times. It’s either working for or against us. So those things you’re doing that you know are good for you, amplify them with the scientific evidence and think your way to even better results.

This episode captures the broad spectrum of positive changes resistance training can bring to menopausal women, from physical improvements like visceral fat reduction and bone density increases to more general benefits like enhanced mood and sleep quality improvements. Each of these is directly tied to signs and symptoms of menopause.

Give a Woman a Weight and Change Not Only Menopause, But Her Health the Rest of Her Life

Before we dig in, in the rhythmic play off the children’s story book, “When you Give a Mouse a Cookie”…

When you give a woman a weight… (or when you pick one up yourself)

You:

Enhance her strength

Improve her fat free mass

Reduce her total fat

Reduce that deadly visceral belly fat

Support overall hormone balance

Alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression

Enhance her sleep

Improve skin health

Increase bone density

Enhance Gait and Stability

Women who lift, lift the world. Theirs and the world at large.

How Resistance Training Revolutionizes Menopause Health 1. Enhance muscle strength – directly tied to longevity (link to recent episode on testing your own longevity) supporting daily activities and reducing the risk of falls. Beyond that however, for bone density benefit, heavy lifting will require muscle strength.

1. Improve fat-free mass, aiding in a healthier body composition during menopausal transition. The combination of 1 and 2 together, notably known as “recomposition.” You’re not literally turning fat into muscle. But you are indeed able to lose fat and not just avoid loss of muscle, but add muscle. This does require some careful effort. For those without much consistent strength training, using a caloric deficit with a high protein intake make effective. The longer your consistent resistance training experience however, and the older you are, you may need a surplus of calories high in protein to overcome the anabolic resistance that occurs with aging.

2. Support total fat mass reduction, addressing weight gain concerns during menopause. Over 5600 postmenopausal women in one hundred studies reviewed showed exercise training effectively increased muscle mass and fat-free mass, and decreased fat mass, body fat percentage, waist circumference and visceral fat. (more on visceral fat coming up). Further this study in Frontiers in Endocrinology in 2023, found combining RE and aerobic exercise(not same session) helped increase muscle and decrease fat, while RE plus combined training – which includes doing aerobic activity and strength training in the same session – helped boost muscle mass most. The reason it likely didn’t impact fat as much I suspect is because intensity in the aerobic activity won’t be as high. You either won’t go as fast or against as much resistance even though it may “feel hard.”

3. Reduce Visceral Fat. Resistance training has been shown to effectively promote decreases in visceral fat in the absence of caloric restriction. That is, no change other than adding resistance training. In still another study published 2023, reduction in visceral belly fat was significant compared to non-resistance trained control group whether participants did 2 or 3 times weekly RE. The impact was observed to be significant across both obese and non-obese individuals, as well as across different age groups, indicating its broad applicability for fat reduction during menopause.

4. Support hormone balance.For pre- and post-menopausal women’s unique physiological needs, muscle is essentially an endocrine organ. You will support more optimal insulin levels, decreasing the need for it and therefore decreasing fat storage. You will experience less negative impact of cortisol compared to cardio. You’ll also boost natural testosterone levels, pick up where estrogen levels dropped in menopause, and so much more.

5 More Ways Resistance Training Revolutionizes Menopause Health 6. Alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety by releasing endorphins and improving mood. Similar to the way that there are reduced negative effects of stress with brief periods of rest between sets allow those sensations to normalize a bit before being increased again with the next set, resistance exercise can provide optimal mini exposure to elevated heart rate for anxiety, without negatively tipping the scale, which helps enhance resilience. Enhance Gait Speed and Stability. By improving muscle strength and mass, resistance training can contribute to better balance, gait speed, and overall mobility. Gait speed is directly related to longevity with a minimum speed of 3.0 set for determining a good baseline. Walking speeds of 3.3. Or greater are associated with greater bone density benefit through ground forces than slower speeds. Gait speed typically slows with instability or fear of falling. Stronger muscles support joints and can prevent falls, which is crucial as bone fragility increases with age. This was a repetition range of 8-15 with an average of 60s rest between 2 or 3 sets. Changes were improved with as little as 6 weeks of twice weekly RE.

1. Improve Skin Health by improving circulation and potentially boosting collagen production. Resistance training has a more positive impact on thickening the skin dermis, counteracting the thinning of skin from loss of collagen fibers with age.

2. Increase Bone Density. Both research and anecdotal evidence from our own Flipping 50 community provides evidence that reversal of bone loss is possible through RE. Resistance training places stress on the bones, stimulating bone formation and increasing bone density. This is particularly beneficial during menopause, a period when women are at increased risk for osteoporosis due to declining estrogen levels. Once thought to be the best exercise, the collective approach now includes high impact exercise, yoga and other weight bearing time daily, as well as resistance training. For those unable to lift heavy, tools like weighted vests and whole body vibration (Power Plate is my choice- https://www.flippnigfifty.com/PowerPlate).

3. Enhance sleep quality, aiding in better rest and recovery, as well as overcoming the insomnia that can occur during menopause. A study conducted by researchers at Iowa State University and presented at AHA Conference in March 2022, found resistance training helped reduce time to fall asleep and also increased sleep time more than aerobic exercise among exercisers who did 3x a week resistance training

Resistance Training Studies and Menopause Health Among the studies there are a lot of variables. Some smaller, some vast reviews of literature as mentioned with over 5000 women, and variations of 2 or 3 times weekly, 3 or 4 sets, the percent of 1 RM to muscle fatigue did vary as it almost always does when looking at a large body of knowledge. What does come out clearly though is:

• Multiple sets each session
• 6-8 sets for each muscle per week
• Higher intensity (heavier with fewer repetitions improved results over low intensity light- with more reps)
• Post menopausal women don’t respond as well with less stimulus and require more volume from multiple sets x heavier weight and potentially greater frequency of HIIT or high intensity
• Because of the increased anabolic resistance women experience in post menopause (older) they will require more protein to achieve the same muscle protein synthesis
• Even if the goal is to go heavy for optimal bone density, all exercisers should start with higher repetitions and lighter weights with emphasis on good form.

Based on a simple principle of fitness: progressive overload. While a low load more frequently might be a logical way to begin and build a foundation of connective tissue health and train the brain so to speak. This neural component can’t be rushed by heavy weight. It will take the time it takes – about 6-8 weeks of a program. A time when proper form and body mechanics is very important. Yet for women crushed by time, fitting it in, twice weekly can be a bigger advantage and allow for functional workouts, like body weight yoga sessions between without undue fatigue or adrenal stress.

Are you lifting? If you or a woman you know needs to begin, share this with her. For an online solution that’s been built for and helped women in menopause for a decade, join the STRONGER Tone & Define 12-week program.

Resources:

Power Plate with the Flipping 50 community code: Flipping50 https://www.flippnigfifty.com/PowerPlate

STRONGER Tone & Define: https://www.flippingfifty.com/getstronger

Other Episodes You Might Like:

What Are the Real Secrets to Longevity? https://www.flippingfifty.com/real-secrets-to-longevity/

Power Plate Benefits | Prior Skeptic to a Believer

https://www.flippingfifty.com/power-plate-benefits/

References:

Broman-Fulks, J. J., Kelso, K., & Zawilinski, L. (2015). Effects of a single bout of aerobic exercise versus resistance training on cognitive vulnerabilities for anxiety disorders. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, 44, 240-251.

Isenmann, E., Kaluza, D., Havers, T. et al. Resistance training alters body composition in middle-aged women depending on menopause – A 20-week control trial. BMC Women’s Health 23, 526 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-023-02671-y

Kang S, Park IB, Lim S-T. Changing Levels of Myokines after Aerobic Training and Resistance Training in Post-Menopausal Obese Females: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Sustainability. 2020; 12(20):8413. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12208413

Keating CJ, Cabrera-Linares JC, Párraga-Montilla JA, Latorre-Román PA, Del Castillo RM, García-Pinillos F. Influence of Resistance Training on Gait & Balance Parameters in Older Adults: A Systematic Review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Feb 11;18(4):1759. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18041759. PMID: 33670281; PMCID: PMC7918150.

Nilsson S, Hammar M, West J, Borga M, Thorell S, Spetz Holm AC. Resistance training decreased abdominal adiposity in postmenopausal women. Maturitas. 2023 Oct;176:107794. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2023.107794. Epub 2023 Jul 6. PMID: 37421844.

Nishikori S, Yasuda J, Murata K, Takegaki J, Harada Y, Shirai Y, Fujita S. Resistance training rejuvenates aging skin by reducing circulating inflammatory factors and enhancing dermal extracellular matrices. Sci Rep. 2023 Jun 23;13(1):10214. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-37207-9. PMID: 37353523; PMCID: PMC10290068.

https://www.abstractsonline.com/pp8/?_ga=2.43661667.795188704.1646150369-78844285.1609356599#!/10553/presentation/99

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It’s no secret weight gain in perimenopause – or menopause transition and post menopause – is different. It doesn’t respond the way you would have predicted it should. It doesn’t come on at the same rate or in the same place as you think it should.

My guest today is an MD and yet she’s first a woman who also entered midlife and experienced much of the same you may have. She also defaulted to many of the same tactics a woman with a heartbeat would. So this episode is just a simply basic discussion about what happens, and why and what to do about it and why your default effort may fall short.

My Guest: Heather Awad, MD is a Family Medicine and the founder and CEO of Vibrant Weight Loss Age 50+ where she helps professional women over age 50 lose weight for the last time through a virtual platform. She offers a simple system that saves them time and helps them achieve their health and weight loss goals. They discover how to say no to foods they don’t want without using willpower, and create an eating protocol that they will enjoy going forward so that their weight loss is permanent. Dr. Awad is also the host of the Vibrant-MD podcast where she talks about weight loss, women’s health, and food.

Questions We Answer in This Episode: * Why do women so often gain weight with perimenopause and menopause? * Are there hormonal factors? * Are there cultural factors in play here too? * What’s dangerous about menopause belly fat? * Many women describe that the methods they used in the past don’t work anymore. Why is that? * What about eat less and move more? * How do you find people most easily lose weight at midlife? * Many women feel stuck with their weight gain starting at midlife. What would you tell them? * Many people are so hard on themselves about their weight–is this a good motivator? * What else gets in the way of people losing weight at midlife?

Connect with Heather: Website: https://www.vibrant-md.com

On Social:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathervibrantmd/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heatherawadmd/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherawadmd?trk=public_post_feed-actor-name

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/vibrant-md-podcast/id1583628433

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heatherawadmd7858

Resources:

Exercise Planning Guide

https://www.flippingfifty.com/5-part-exercise-planning-guide/

Home Gym

https://www.flippingfifty.com/perfect-home-gym-how-to/

Other Episodes You Might Like:

WHY YOU MAY BE EATING TOO LITTLE To LOSE WEIGHT | women over 50

https://www.flippingfifty.com/eating-too-little/

How to Boost Your Metabolism in Midlife the Non-Dieting Way

https://www.flippingfifty.com/boost-your-metabolism-in-midlife/

Easy Healthy Habits Start Here: Effortless Kitchen Hacks

https://www.flippingfifty.com/healthy-habits/

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Low energy availability in menopause is a key concern, especially if you’re both trying to exercise and combine that with fasting and you could easily be there.

In this episode I’ll help you answer whether you’re in a state of low energy availability leaving you with too little energy to feel good during or after menopause.

Exercising too much without results? Try a reset. The 5 Day Flip is free. https://www.flippingfifty.com/5dayflip

Low energy availability or LEA, is defined as having limited energy available to support your normal body functions once your energy expended through exercise is subtracted from your total dietary energy intake.

Living too long or too often in LEA will negatively impact your skeletal muscle as well as your bone because osteoblasts and osteoclasts can’t properly do their job. More injury in connective tissue, stress fractures, and increased risk for osteoporosis or accelerated bone loss and inability to reverse losses.

LEA also can lead to other health disruptions that are commonly blamed on the umbrella of “menopause” or hormones. They include irritability, depression, brain fog, poor immune function, low libido, and GI issues like constipation and diarrhea.

How do you know if you have low energy availability in menopause? Here’s a simple equation for figuring EA.

EA = (EI − EEE)/FFM

Dietary energy intake (kcal) minus your exercise energy expenditure (kcal) divided by your fat free mass (FFM) in kilograms (kg)

Suggestions are for total to be 45 calorie/kilogram ffm

Anything less than 30 calories/kilogram ffm is considered LEA and putting you at risk for real health concerns within days.

Track your calorie intake for 3-5 days to get an average. I don’t recommend doing this excessively. But it can be valuable periodically. Find that average by adding all the days total calorie intake and dividing by the number of days you tracked.

Plug your calories burned into an app to determine for a female with your weight the calories expended for activities beyond daily activity of life. Play pickle ball 2 hours? Count it. Worked out 45 minutes? Count it. Walked 30 minutes at 3mph? Count it. Get a total calories expended in exercise for the day.

It’s easier than you think to check for Low Energy Availability: 1. Use that average total calories. 2. Subtract your daily caloric expenditure from exercise. 3. Divide that number by your fat free mass in kilograms. (remember kilograms is weight in pounds divided by 2.2)

Calculate fat free mass. Take Body fat % x body weight. If your body fat percent is 25%, then .25 times your body weight.

So 130 lbs with 22% body fat. Fat mass is 28.6 lbs. 130-28.6 = 101.4 lbs ffm

101.4 divided by 2.2 = 46.2 kg ffm

If average daily calories consumed 2100 kcals.

Energy expended with a 45 minute walk + weight training + 10 minutes intervals = 108+ 159 + 120 = 387 kcals expended (rounding up to 400kcals)

2100- 400= 1700 kcals divided by 46.2= 36.7

So based on this, I’m not in an alarmingly low state but low enough to be aware I should consciously start adding quality calories especially around workouts. When you do the calculation, about 45 is a good number to aim for or 50 if you’re training hard regularly. I’m not and some days much less than I’d like to but we all have to remember we may be slowing our metabolism by eating too little and compromising our body’s ability to regulate thyroid, proper immune function, metabolic function, mood or more.

Your exercise may or may not be affected. At first. If you’re an athlete, performance most likely will be negatively impacted. The rest of your life and physical function will suffer first. It might be happening at such a low level you don’t notice it, until cumulative effects set in.

Helpful? Share this with a friend. Low energy availability isn’t something talked about openly often enough. Instead we’re bragging about how long we’re fasting or doing HIIT. Potentially, we’re contributing to the problem: keeping score in the wrong game.

RESEARCH:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8912784/#B22-nutrients-14-00986

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2022.869594/full

https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/53/10/628

https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/11/15/6679

Resources:

Other Experts who discuss this that you might also find interesting:

Dr. Stacy Sims (doctor of science) https://www.drstacysims.com/

Steph Gadreau https://www.stephgaudreau.com/

Betty Rocker https://thebettyrocker.com/

Other Episodes You Might Like:

How to Be Confident Now with Betty Rocker | #508 https://www.flippingfifty.com/the-betty-rocker/

More Strength, Less Cardio in Menopause & Beyond https://www.flippingfifty.com/less-cardio-in-menopause/

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In this episode we break down the levers for metabolic mastery for midlife women in such easy terms that it is my prediction you will want to listen again. My guest smoothly coaches us through unique messages with examples and specifics. No platitudes or lists in this episode.

This will stick.

We talk about habit formation and why we fail at it.

My Guest: Ellie Kempton, founder of Simply Nourished, is at her very core a lifestyle architect empowering women to reclaim their wellness. As a Registered Dietitian with a master’s degree in Functional Nutrition from Bastyr University and a biochemistry degree from the University of Virginia, Ellie curates simplicity out of complex health information and provides care calibrated to support transformation. Ellie’s care is underpinned by functional medicine and catalyzed by behavior design.

Questions We Answer in This Episode: * What IS metabolic mastery and how do you approach it as a functionally trained dietitian? * What elements of metabolic mastery should we prioritize as women when we go through our various “software upgrades” [aging through the decades]? * What are the ABCs of sustaining metabolic mastery? * What is so powerful about failure along the way? * What is the #1 secret to aligned wellness through the life cycles?

Connect with Ellie: Website: https://www.simplynourishednutrition.com/https://elliekempton.com/

On Social:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simplynourishednutrition

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simplynourishednutrition/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellie-kempton-msn-rdn-561436a0/

The Table Membership: https://www.simplynourishednutrition.com/the-table

Resources:

Exercise Planning Guide

https://www.flippingfifty.com/5-part-exercise-planning-guide/

Home Gym

https://www.flippingfifty.com/perfect-home-gym-how-to/

Other Episodes You Might Like:

How to Boost Your Metabolism in Midlife the Non-Dieting Way

https://www.flippingfifty.com/boost-your-metabolism-in-midlife/

Easy Healthy Habits Start Here: Effortless Kitchen Hacks

https://www.flippingfifty.com/healthy-habits/

6 Commonsense Steps for Health from Uncommon Motivation #501

https://www.flippingfifty.com/commonsense/

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This is absolutely the first time I’ve done a greet and meet the team here at Flipping 50. [ Not completely true though – We’ve had one community coach on the show to talk about her 60th birthday and her perspective on it.] In the She Means Fitness Business podcast (for you fitness and health pros) I’ve introduced the positions I have hired and the order I hired them in, how I create job responsibilities… all things to help pros start a business, grow it, or scale it.

I’ll link to that in the show notes. Of course it too is everywhere you listen to podcasts and if you’re a midlife woman serving midlife women or who wants to… this is produced just for you! (and it’s been around longer than Flipping 50 in fact).

Today you’ll meet our team from the way behind the scenes to the front lines for the first time. I’m grateful for each and every one of them. I’ve been accidentally lucky to find them.

Starting out as in many businesses, I wore all the hats. I’ve always treated positions where I’ve had another boss as if they were my own. So this wasn’t a new feeling. I was allowed a lot of autonomy in positions I’ve held. I appreciate knowing my goals and exceeding them in the way I work best, which may not be the traditional or conventional way.

I try to remember that with my team too. Everyone has good ideas. Leaning on others and finding their zone of genius so everyone loves their job is a goal we can all relate to.

Meet the Flipping 50 Team! To make this far more fun than just sharing day-to-day activities which btw can be too numerous to mention – we’re asking some super fun questions to let their personalities shine.

I asked everyone behind the scenes a few rapid fire questions you may love hearing the answers to.

Resources:

Want the Top 10 episodes in a specific category?

https://www.flippingfifty.com/podcast

AnnMarie Skincare:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/skincare

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Choose your top 10 List here: https://www.flippingfifty.com/flipping-fifty-podcast/

She Means Fitness Business podcast –

https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/the-voice-for-fitness-professionals-podcast/

Tim Ferriss – https://tim.blog/podcast/

No Such Thing As a Fish – https://www.nosuchthingasafish.com/

RadioLab – https://radiolab.org/podcast

Matthew Ferry – https://matthewferry.com/home

She Means Fitness Business Podcast:

Show Notes site: https://www.fitnessmarketingmastery.com/the-voice-for-fitness-professionals-podcast/

Itunes- Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/she-means-fitness-business/id731652575

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/2hAs64rdXtPhEZXbHNnZYi

iHeart Radio:

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/256-she-means-fitness-business-43068893/

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This episode is for mothers and daughters so it’s definitely not one to keep to yourself. There are numerous resources mentioned within this episode as well. Those include reference to Judy Blume’s Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret?, Flow and the wisdom of What, When and Why to Exercise for Women 40+ guest expert Alissa Vitti.

My Guests: Candace Burch is a Hormone Health Educator with a Masters in Health Education and over 30 years of experience in the field. In 2017, she founded ‘Your Hormone Balance’ as a consulting practice, and was later joined by her younger daughter, Ryan Burch to expand YHB’s reach to women and men around the world! Candace’s background includes working as a health editor, writer and investigative journalist in London, leading educational patient and provider initiatives for ZRT Hormone Laboratory (as their Director of Education for 12+ years), as well as spearheading “Body in Balance,” a hormone testing and rebalancing weight loss program at Metabolic Research Center (a nationwide weight loss company). She also hosts the Women Talking Frankly Podcast with her friend N.P., Kyle McAvoy.

Jess Suchan is a board certified Holistic Health Coach via the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and takes a 360 approach to wellness, supporting clients in sustainable weight loss strategies, mindset tools and symptom relief via cycle syncing, lifestyle strategies and smart supplementation. As a recovered yoyo dieter with her own 45LB weight loss story, she understands the importance of a balanced approach, free from restriction and fad diets. She has been coaching clients in partnership with YHB for the last 5 years and also offers 1:1 coaching through her custom app. She co-hosts the Solo 2.0 Podcast, alongside her sister, YHB’s co-founder, Ryan Burch.

Questions We Answer in This Episode: * How to navigate rollercoaster symptoms during perimenopause? * How to optimize hormones naturally and relieves symptoms like weight gain, sleep issues like anxiety, irregular/missing periods, vaginal dryness / skin issues, headaches, fatigue, etc? * How to manage health scares and traumatic experiences as a family? * How to support teens in understanding how to track their cycles and symptoms at pivotal times in their cycle?

Connect with Jess and Candace: Website: https://www.Yourhormonebalance.com https://www.bodyblissbyjess.com

On Social:

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/yourhormonebalance/

https://www.instagram.com/bodyblissbyjess/

Resources:

Use code FLIPPING50 for $50 off of the build-your-own testing and rebalancing packages here: https://www.yourhormonebalance.com/b-y-o-rebalancing-package#simplero-section-1655471171980

Books:

Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret? by Judy Blume

https://www.amazon.com/Are-You-There-God-Margaret/dp/148140993X

In the Flo by Alissa Vitti

https://www.amazon.com/Female-Advantage-Biochemistry-Productivity-Happiness-ebook/dp/B07CRKXNQC/ref=sr_1_1?hvadid=580743541400&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9008459&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=4161679724158086185&hvtargid=kwd-1264597133183&hydadcr=15526_13517424&keywords=in+the+flow+by+alisa+vitti&qid=1707592530&sr=8-1

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Midlife Weight Loss: Burn Body Fat, Balance Your Hormones

https://www.flippingfifty.com/midlife-weight-loss/

It Takes MORE Than Hormones To Fix Your Hormones

https://www.flippingfifty.com/fix-your-hormones/

A Hormone Therapy Roadmap: What, When & Why

https://www.flippingfifty.com/hormone-therapy-roadmap/

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Like many things worth it, it wasn’t easy when the Flipping 50 show started. If you’re new or you’ve been here a minute but you never heard this story, this is how it all started.

Tears roll down my face as I take down years of memories. Since I can remember I wanted dozens of frames full of memories hanging on my walls and lining bookshelves. My cell phone rings and I see it’s my realtor, what perfect timing.

It was she who said a house sells better when a buyer can imagine themselves in the space and the seller’s personal items are removed.

I should have been putting up Christmas decorations. It was a brutally cold December day. There’d be no 19 ft tree, no throwing mardi gras beads at it. Dustin was at college and would be home over break but there might not even be a tree this year. He’d have to have that experience at his dad’s.

That was the first year of what is now Flipping 50 and the companion business served by the She Means Fitness Business podcast that helps health and fitness coaches start and grow their fitness businesses serving women over 40.

That was 11 months after having quit safety and security of a regular paycheck. It was after the times I’d confidently said, “If I’m not where I need to be and have to, I’ll sell my house.”

Not so confidently, I was selling my house.

I was leaving… a house I loved in a neighborhood I loved in a town I had loved since I was a little girl visiting my sister and hearing stories of my grandmother attending college here so many decades ago.

During the first 14 months of going 100% in on the mission to serve midlife women and to uplevel the health and fitness industry instead of complaining about what was wrong with it, I had 8 major life changes.

Life was tough.

But then – I’d love to say I worked harder, got help and it all got better.

Well folks that’s not how it happened.

Life got harder.

And I learned a lot of lessons.

In the J.Crew factory outlet store picking up funeral suit coats for my great nephews who’s dad was just killed by a drunk and high driver. In spite of red-rimmed puffy eyes the clerk said, “Going to a wedding?” It took everything I had just then which was not a lot not to say, “No bitch, you had a 50/50 chance and you blew it. They’re burying their dad.”

My niece’s husband was killed riding his bike in the last 10 minutes from home of a two hour ride with a buddy after having been gone all week without getting in a ride. The driver had left him for dead and sped off. We were all devastated. Not just the families, but a town, his colleagues at Google, his biking community near pros. Bill wasn’t a careless occasional rider out on a Saturday ride. He was a calculated, Eagle scout kid grown into a turning-pro biker who was much loved and envied for his skill and humility.

Life was hard before Bill.

But after, my eyes were open about hard.

Choose your hard we say. I choose to work “hard” because I know this isn’t hard. I choose to put in more time than most are willing to because it matters. Things that do are worth it. I’m not here for the toned arms and the smaller size.

I’m here for adventure and fun and feeling it all, experiencing it all. I watched life fall apart in minutes. I’ve also watched it come back together. It’s never the same. Of course it’s not. But it’s beautiful and it’s honoring to those gone.

This was the first 4 years of my start of a new life.

Tears – much more than laughter. And the privilege of watching generosity and love pour out of people. The lessons of understanding that everyone you meet on the street at any moment could be going through a catastrophic event in their lives. Because groceries still have to be bought and work still has to happen and kids need to go to school.

I’ve become a better human because of hard.

It can go either way. You can let it swallow you up, consume you, gain limited beliefs and then let them run you or you can surround yourself with someone who will tell you that no, exercising hours a day and fasting to disguise a terrible habit of eating too little… is going to keep you stuck.

I established Flipping 50 for the women who feel like no one gets them, and that trainers seem to think they must be cheating if they aren’t getting results. For those who think they should be tired, sore and stiff or it isn’t working. Who think if you feel miserable you’ll finally get to a place you feel good.

My job is to point out the science that these things are wrong. To put into practical terms what the missing part is for women in midlife.

No one was talking about menopause fitness in 2013 when I began this journey.

And what i used to teach in the 80s and the mid 90s even about osteoporosis has changed. Yet, if it’s online you may read something and still now be conflicted.

It’s my self-prescribed job description to clean that mess up and give you clarity about why we thought that then and what we know now. Not just to tell you the rules have changed.

It’s my job to help you hear from people whose ideas oppose mine or sway me to change my limited thinking.

It’s not about being right. Sometimes it’s about delivering information that might be inconclusive so that you can decide for yourself.

Others, it’s sharing new information and either asking questions about the validity of the science or its application to you.

When you tune in, you’ll hear interviews usually reserved for Tuesdays and most often a solo episode on Fridays, answering questions or following up with an idea or science that’s new on the scene. When for instance our community is confused about “Zone 2” training, or conflicted on fasting + exercise in a fed state, I’ll be talking about these things.

Mostly, I’ll be talking about these things with the lens focused on women in midlife and studies featuring women just like you.

You’re not a man, a mouse, or a young woman – not even younger you.

I also ask that you think big. Rather than criticize, get curious. Why was it said that way? How could it have triggered you? And believe that one woman doing lifts us all up, it’s called collaboration and if you haven’t gotten the memo, we’re lifting each other up now.

When I was a year into building this online business of mine that Flipping 50 Show became a part of I realized something.

Resources:

Tedx Talk: https://www.flippingfifty.com/TEDx

5 Day Flip: https://www.flippingfifty.com/5dayflip

Flipping 50 Insiders Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/flipping50insiders

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Choose your top 10 List here: https://www.flippingfifty.com/flipping-fifty-podcast/

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In midlife sex is not over! Sexual health expert, Dr Lyndsey Harper joins me in this episode. The questions that are top of mind even if not tip of tongue are what we’re tackling today.

Here’s how I know. In opening applications for the Flipping 50 TV shows the questions about libido were so prevalent that I gave in and episode 3 was about how to modify exercise to help, or at the least not sabotage your libido.

We have a little library of episodes for you if sexual health questions are top of mind for you too and we’ll link to those in the show notes.

My Guest: Dr. Lyndsey Harper is a Board Certified Ob/Gyn, Associate Professor of Ob/Gyn for Texas A&M COM, a Fellow of The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and a Fellow of the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health. Dr. Harper is the founder and CEO of Rosy, a women’s health technology company that connects women who have sexual health concerns with hope, community, and research-backed solutions. She has been named Forbes Top 53 Women Disrupting Healthcare, People Newspapers’ 20 Under 40, a Top Innovator in North Texas for 2020 and a DBJ Top Woman in Tech.

Questions We Answer in This Episode: * If you lose your libido during menopause is it gone for good? Even with HRT? * What treatments are there for vaginal atrophy post menopause? * Meno has kinda made the Big O a small o. How can I fix that? The Big O was always toe-curling and several minutes of luscious spasms and an hour of ooey gooey oxytocin, but now not so much. * Is there a natural alternative to Estradiol vaginal cream used to help prevent UTI’s? * Can regular use of antihistamine (h1, Claritin &h2, Pepcid) affect libido & cause fatigue? Taking for MCAS currently. * What can I do for painful intercourse? Tried KY jelly and the like but the pain is excruciating. * How to prevent UTI’s (beyond the basics)? I have started using D-Manose, a women’s probiotic which seems to help but wondering if there are any other suggestions. * Any recommendations for keeping things fulfilling if spouse has ED? * Can estradiol vaginal cream or estrogen HRT cause bleeding for those with fibroids and a thin endometrial membrane? * Libido. Even though I’m on HRT it’s virtually non-existent. Difficult when your partner’s libido stays healthy. What can I do about this? * What are the best exercises for tightening up the pelvic floor muscles please? The info out there can seem confusing as to which exercises actually work the best. Do the toning balls that are inserted? What is more effective than basic kegels?

Connect with Dr. Lyndsey: Website: https://meetrosy.com/

On Social:

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/meet_rosy/

https://www.instagram.com/lyndseyharpermd/

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyndseyharpermd/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meet_rosy

Resources:

C60 Purple Power https://www.flippingfifty.com/c60

Get Your Libido Back: Episode 3 https://www.flippingfifty.com/get-your-libido-back-episode-3/

Other Episodes You Might Like:

What you really want to know about “urinary leakage” (Part I) https://www.flippingfifty.com/what-you-really-want-to-know-about-urinary-leakage-part-i/

What you really want to know about “urinary leakage” Part II

https://www.flippingfifty.com/urinary-incontinence-leakage/

Sex Dysfunction in the City Just Like That https://www.flippingfifty.com/sex-dysfunction/

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Want the real secrets to longevity so you can love it not just last it? This is it. My guest has a voice so buttery you’ll find so easy to listen to and so excited that you’re going to get excited too. You’ll hear how he fell into longevity science. He shares a wealth of resources (books) about longevity and what it means today.

The real secrets to longevity are less secrets and far more science. We know so much that we don’t put to use yet. We can do so much better if we want to. If you’re ready to take a look, here’s how.

My Guest: Published author, Host of the Uncovering the Secrets to Longevity Health Summit, patent holder with a surprising twist – he’s not just a visionary scientist but also a master of comedy improv. Chris Burres is the founder and chief scientist at MyVitalC, where he manufactures a Nobel Prize winning molecule responsible for the single longest longevity experimental result in history, a full 90% extension of life. He is the intersection where science meets laughter and his life’s mission is to help people live longer, healthier, happier, and pain-free lives one dose at a time.

Questions We Answer in This Episode: * When did you first become interested in longevity? * What are some of your personal lifestyle habits adopted for enhancing your healthspan? * How do you see longevity and biohacking being intertwined * Where did the comedy come into play? (were you the jokester in junior high who never grew up or was comedy something that bloomed later?) * Why did you decide to put together a longevity summit? * Who were the biggest names and what did they have to say about longevity * What were some of the biggest surprises from the longevity summit?

Connect with Chris: Website: Uncovering the Secrets to Longevity summit

https://www.flippingfifty.com/summit

On Social:

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/myvitalc

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myvitalc

X: https://twitter.com/myvitalc

Resources:

Secrets to Longevity summit

https://www.flippingfifty.com/summit

Danger Coffee: https://www.flippingfifty.com/givedanger Code: Flipping50

Books We Mention:

David Sinclair – Lifespan why we age and why we don’t have to

Peter Attia – Outlive

Matthew Walker – Why We Sleep

Live Longer and Better – Chris Burres

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Unlocking the Secrets to Skin Longevity | A Solution for Crepey Skin https://www.flippingfifty.com/solution-for-crepey-skin/

Whole Body Vibration for Longevity in Women 40+ https://www.flippingfifty.com/longevity-in-women/

Testing Your Longevity: Older or Bolder https://www.flippingfifty.com/testing-your-longevity/

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If you have a rotator cuff injury or any injury for that matter at the time you’re also feeling like you’re constantly faced with figuring out your changing body’s needs, this is for you. We unpack the unknowing and waiting. What can you do when mobility or ability is limited? How do you create a plan?

We discussed blood flow restriction bands, water exercise and options to keep you in alignment. With any injury it’s common and a risk to begin compensating for the injury. There is always something that you can do. When it’s not exercise or movement, it can be a focus on nutrition.

My Guest: Sue is 66, a retired teacher/librarian, living in Australia. Sue is a member of our Flipping 50 Membership.She describes herself:I keep active and am always on the go. I understand the need to keep good health, especially now I have 8 young grandchildren. I like to exercise regularly; as well as sew; knit; garden; do yoga; and travel.

Questions We Answer in This Episode: * How did you sustain your injury? * What were your symptoms? * Do you know which rotator cuff you have injured? * What have you been doing to recover from this? * How can you make sure you don’t lose muscle mass and reduce bone density losses? * What can you do when an injury is limiting you?

Come up with a plan for now, for next, and find a way to feel better about the future. If you’ve got an injury and it’s been diagnosed, keep asking questions of your diagnosing physician. Ask for guidelines, limitations, criteria for doing more or doing less. Ask for time with a physical therapist if appropriate.

Resources:

5 Day Flip: https://www.flippingfifty.com/5dayflip

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Dr Joe Mercola on Blood Flow Restriction Training |Flipping 50 Interview https://www.flippingfifty.com/blood-flow-restriction-training/

BFR Bands to Gain Strength After 50, 60 and 70 https://www.flippingfifty.com/gain-strength-after-50/

The Chronic Pain Solution for Complete Resolution https://www.flippingfifty.com/chronic-pain-solution/

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In this episode discussing the midlife exercise rx I host Dr Kathleen Jordan as we discuss from a Medical Exercise Specialist and a physician the mash up of menopause symptoms and exercise solutions to mitigate and amplify good health now and for decades ahead.

In case you’re curious, I have a couple stats.

Nearly 50% of medical schools offer any training in exercise physiology. And 0% of these require it. At least 80% of physicians don’t feel comfortable recommending exercise.

When a doctor recommends exercise they’re often helping you get moving at all. The suggestion to walk or do Pilates can be helpful. The match to your highest priorities comes from direct knowledge of the physiology of exercise + the physiology of menopause for the ideal midlife exercise Rx for you. Right now. Because it most certainly can change.

My Guest:

Dr. Kathleen Jordan. Described as a proponent of digital health and solving access issues, Dr. Kathleen Jordan has consistently leveraged innovative technology in patient care. After scaling her own medical practice, she became Chief Medical Officer at Dignity Health, then shifted to leadership roles at women’s healthcare startups. She was Chief Medical Officer at Tia, focused on young women, prior to joining Midi Health. Her career highlights include: establishing telehealth services at Dignity Health; attaining the Health Equity Leadership Certification for the hospital and its programs; establishing a new trans health program in San Francisco for which she was awarded the Leadership in Innovation Award; helping Tia grow from one site to a multistate organization with leading healthcare system partnerships. She joined Midi with the goal of helping all women in midlife feel better and live stronger, longer. Her expertise has been tapped by The Washington Post, CNN, Yahoo News, and many other media outlets. She is a graduate of the UCLA School of Medicine and Stanford University.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• What fitness and workout recommendations do you have for a woman navigating menopause and/or perimenopause?
• What do you see are some common misunderstandings or mistakes women make in trying to maintain fitness over 50? A patient is in your office or on a telemedicine call, what’s the source of confusion or most common complaints?
• What do you believe to be the most important dietary considerations to further benefit a fitness routine during menopause? (and let’s be clear- are these not important for women who aren’t exercising?)
• Some women don’t recognize they have entered perimenopause.. What are some of the lesser known or often overlooked symptoms?
• What do you see as a physician are some of the special exercise challenges of women in midlife hormonal transition?
• What are your thoughts about semiglutides like Ozempic?

Connect with Dr. Kathleen:

Website: https://www.joinmidi.com/

On Social:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joinmidi

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/midihealth/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleen-jordan-md-37b6494/

Resources:

Menopause and the Loss of Skeletal Muscle Mass in Women https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7956097/

Importance of Strength Training for the Midlife Woman | #516 https://www.flippingfifty.com/strength-training-for-the-midlife-woman/

https://today.oregonstate.edu/archives/2015/mar/exercise-largely-absent-us-medical-school-curriculum-study-shows

Other Episodes You Might Like:

20 Reasons Strength Training Should Be Mandatory for Everyone Over 29

https://www.flippingfifty.com/strength-training/

How Long Should Strength Training Sessions for Menopause Be? | ASK the EXPERT Q and A

https://www.flippingfifty.com/strength-training-sessions-for-menopause/

TOTAL Body or SPLIT ROUTINE Strength Training in Menopause | #453

https://www.flippingfifty.com/total-body-or-split-routine-453/

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The downside of coffee for many is the gut devastation. For others, if we’re talking caffeinated, not decaf, it’s the jitters.

Some women rely on it for pooping. (That’s not good by the way. We may want to restore your factory settings, because you never needed this as a child, right?)

Your DNA may determine how well you metabolize caffeine but so can presence of other stressors, whether you have eaten or not, and medications.

Caffeine may temporarily raise metabolism, boost workout intensity and fat burning. But for those of us most likely to send up a cheer, it may not be us. The caffeine kick is only really supportive for those that don’t regularly consume large quantities of caffeine (>300mg/day).

When I was in high school, I rarely drank soda. I just didn’t. I wasn’t “not drink pop.” It just wasn’t a staple at my house unless someone had the stomach flu. I’m not sure at this point how effective 7-Up was but that’s when we most often drank pop. Or with a popcorn at the movies.

So when I first went out with a guy I’d been serious about for 5 years and we hung out with others at a pizza joint, and I had a Diet Pepsi without a second thought, I was up all night. The 9pm soda was not a wise move. When I told the guy, he was like, “I was hoping that was because of me.”

Maybe I should have played my cards differently, because although the guy was great, that sleepless night was most definitely the caffeine.

The next year at college I was introduced to soda regularly for the stay-up-all-night and don’t drink your calories benefit. The summer after that I was introduced to coffee by my brother and sister-in-law and diet cokes in the afternoon. I thought I’d discovered the secret to thin Southern women: they weren’t fit, they were dehydrated since they seemed to drink Diet Coke like it was water.

Throughout college and grad school, getting up to teach 6am classes or getting energy up again to teach 4:30 classes, I relied on Diet Coke way too much. To study before my 6am start and to teach another class at 4:30 or 5:30pm, I was relying on it.

It’s about then that the caffeine stopped helping me. I didn’t just reach for a can before a class. I reached for two.

You might guess what happened next. My gut was a hot mess. And though I didn’t know at the time, artificial sweeteners in diet sodas are 400x as sweet as sugar and still can trigger blood sugar spikes.

I was unintentionally a hypocrite teaching health and fitness and living kind of a junk food life with 24-packs of soda a part of my weekly grocery list.

My Coffee Drinking Start Then, when it wasn’t my Diet Coke, it was coffee I was introduced to during my first summer of college. That substitute was unfortunately a concoction of chemicals, bad oils and artificial sweeteners or sugar or both. But from that point on I don’t think I’ve had many mornings in my life without caffeine.

Fast forward decades. I began offering DNA testing for clients who really wanted to deep dive into their genetic predisposition for disease, identify how they can exercise and eat most optimally and have the optimal expression of their genetics by changing daily habits.

I never share something I haven’t used first. So, in addition to information like I do better to include a higher percent of endurance training than others, I do well with a slightly higher carb count, and I’m predisposed for obesity, I also learned I metabolize caffeine quickly.

A coffee-drinking girl likes that! But, it doesn’t mean it doesn’t or can’t spike a mid-life woman’s blood sugar or wreak havoc with her gut.

If you regularly have more than 300 mg caffeine a day more isn’t going to give you an ergogenic aid nor will what you’re having already. Your body has adapted. Is it better to have that prior to exercise? Possibly, so you can metabolize it. For some though it makes you jittery or negatively impact your blood sugar during exercise.

If you tolerate caffeine, don’t have much regularly or have it infrequently within 30 minutes of exercise, it can boost fat burning. It enhances fatty acid release.

But… this is the downside of coffee 58% of coffee contains mycotoxins. These nasty compounds grow from mold on beans in various stages of production.

Mycotoxins can lead to, among other things, common symptoms of menopause (so be hard to sort):

• Brain fog
• Food sensitivities
• Gut issues not previously there
• Unexplained weight gain
• Mood disorders

So, it’s one reason I made the switch to Danger Coffee.

This is another. Minerals.

When a habit you already have can get an upgrade and first, no longer give you gut issues and make you feel guilty about it, and also ADDS minerals to your body, then its double good.

Most of us – 70% – are deficient in minerals – actually 70-80% deficient in some. Important things in small amounts make the body run well. Dave Asprey has taken the opportunity to make a habit we already enjoy and load it with minerals good for us (while also removing risk of mold – bad for us).

Is Coffee Good or Bad For You? So when the age-old question, is coffee good or bad for you comes up, the answer is, it depends. What kind are you drinking?

Consider this. If you’re using coffee as an ergogenic aid, or one to help you get through a few more hours of fasting, you’re doing both for health right? You want better exercise results. You want longevity benefits of fasting. So why would you add a coffee that may have mold or isn’t tested and openly talking about these issues?

So many things we do daily – like exercise, stress, over-the-counter medications, Rx, conditions or conditions/disease – deplete our minerals. Soil is depleted and so then the plants and animals that feed off plants are lower in mineral content. So even with a healthy diet, we likely can’t consume all the minerals we need in food alone. Making the most of what you do consume is important.

Two of the compounds in Danger Coffee actually benefit the gut. This has been a game changer for me. If you’ve listened for a while you know most mornings for 3 years now, I’ve started with matcha. Like almost entirely kicked coffee to the curb. Til now. The reason was twofold: gut health and cortisol. My gut feels good on Danger. I still am a matcha fan and yet, I’ll decide what to drink now based on how I feel and what I’m doing in the morning. I’ve got options.

The Last Downside of Coffee If you’ve got adrenal fatigue and you’re relying on it, giving it up can be one of the ways to accelerate healing. Your cortisol levels rise, so too does blood sugar. Now, we’re all doing that to some extent. You may be in a position to tolerate it.

Cortisol is used as energy for exercise. Thus, if you’re using it strategically, and not abusing it, this can work.

If you’re coasting til noon on coffee (through a period of time I find most women in our community do well to break a fast and get a high dose of protein in)…

You could also be inhibiting your thyroid, the master metabolism gland.

Some women can absolutely tolerate it. During phases of your life you potentially could. What we each have to assess is whether it’s working right now or now.

One thing is for sure, if you drink it, do so consciously deciding on the type and timing.

Resources:

Danger Coffee: https://www.flippingfifty.com/givedanger Code: Flipping50

Matcha: https://www.flippingfifty.com/piquetea

5 Day Flip: https://www.flippingfifty.com/5dayflip

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Is My Coffee Habit Making Me Fat? | Women in Menopause https://www.flippingfifty.com/coffee-habit/

What Is BioHacking? | Women’s Health https://www.flippingfifty.com/what-is-biohacking/

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It’s time to stop holding back and start sharing your crazy unique gifts. But it’s hard, right? What will people think? How do you put yourself out there at a time when very possibly the myriad of changes in your life shake your confidence?

It’s always my hope that the strength you gain from lifting weights is far deeper than muscle. It’s confidence, it’s inner strength, it’s having a voice and strength to walk away when needed.

This episode is unique and I can’t wait for you to listen to this intelligent gifted guest who’s interviewing experts to reveal and uncover perimenopause informational gaps and provide solutions, or at the very least allow her listeners to make informed decisions.

My Guest: Ann Marie McQueen is a digital journalist, podcaster, former national columnist and founding journalist at The National Newspaper, who has split her career between North America and the Middle East. An early adopter and disruptor, she is the founder Hotflash Inc, a global platform providing evidence, expert and experienced-based information, inspiration and entertainment via newsletter, podcast, social media and more for women who are going through peri/menopause.

Questions We Answer in This Episode: * What inner fears and conditioning have you had to overcome to put yourself ‘out there’? * What concrete steps have you taken? * How do you handle fear? * What do you think holds most women back? * Why are you always talking about menopause? How did that become your focal point?

Connect with Ann Marie: Website: https://www.hotflashinc.com/

On Social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hotflashinc/

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ann-marie-mcqueen-0619346/

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@hotflashinc

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hotflashinc?lang=en

X: https://twitter.com/hotflashinc

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Midlife and Swinging For the Fence https://www.flippingfifty.com/swinging-for-the-fence/

Midlife Changes with Intermittent Fasting Expert Gin Stephens https://www.flippingfifty.com/midlife-changes/

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Whether it is the beginning of the year or a new season or you’re listening later to this episode, cleanses and detoxes are prevalent topics. Do you need a detox? I may have answered that very differently 10 years ago. This episode follows two recent episodes on detox and answers some of the questions from our community about what it is why it might be needed and it’s not what you think.

But once you know something you can’t go back. In the last two years, I’ve done 3 liver detoxes. I have a recent episode on biohacking, and admit I have disliked the word hacking forever. Yet, many of us are biohacking as we gain insight into the what and why of the body. We didn’t label it.

We do elimination diets, we sauna, steam, sweat, and those all help us naturally detox. But does the body need a detox boost from time to time? And if so why?

Why am I answering this question? Because when a woman asks, why am I gaining weight when I’m doing everything right? Or someone asks why they can’t lose weight… I’ve had to have an explanation for that.

While the After 50 Fitness Formula and Flipping 50 methodologies taken from science can support an updated version of “healthy for you” that replaces healthy for all, there are stubborn cases. I’ve witnessed them for 40 years. And would say, I’ve had to solve my own mysteries along the way- this last 5 years more than ever. Many fitness pros do and it’s what leads them to the Flipping 50 Menopause Fitness Specialist.

Questions We Answer in This Episode: * What is detox? Do you need a detox? * What could interfere with natural detox? * How can we support our natural body detox processes? * What is a detox experience like? * Is there a difference between a cleanse and a detox?

What is Detox? A process of clearing toxins out of the body. The body does it well automatically. Except at a tipping point.

Tipping points are one cause of cancer. Combine genetics, and don’t blame your parents – we all have potential cancerous cells within us but they don’t all express – with two other factors.. The saying goes, genetics may load the gun but lifestyle habits pull the trigger. And the environment is the third.

So consider this, maybe genetically you’re more predisposed. Your environment is contaminated, because say you live in a location where air quality or water quality is loaded with heavy metals and weren’t aware of it. And let’s say in effort to do the right thing you clean within an inch of your life and always have. But if this was true before toxin-free products were even discussed and you’ve used all kinds of products promoted to kill germs, eliminate odors, sanitize your kitchen where you eat, the bathtub where you and your family bathe. This could be enough to reach a tipping point. When families endure cancer, they begin to learn this.

Often before that, we ignore or figure that it’s just someone trying to sell us a product or service. We collectively ridicule something that we aren’t ready to accept. If it’s too far from beliefs we’ve always had, it feels threatening. That’s often the human reaction to something. Judgment. Skepticism. To anything that makes us uncomfortable with knowledge we thought we had, about habits we thought were good. When those are challenged we first get defensive. Curiosity isn’t unfortunately our first response.

But the heavy metals in your fillings, from tuna or other fish high in mercury, in drinking water; chemicals in cleaning products, hair and body products, things we’ve thought were good like fluoride in drinking water… and the BPA in plastics we all not only ate food or drank from but often also microwaved food in and stored it for days in the refrigerator. That’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Toxins make fat loss hard and are hormone disruptors.

Tweet What Could Interfere with Natural Detox? Your body can deal with toxins. But one way is removing them from your bloodstream and storing them in fat. That makes fat loss hard as the body is reluctant to release these stored toxins.

One reason the process gets interrupted is the combined overload mentioned above and too few ways to eliminate toxins. If you’re not regularly sweating, during exercise, and also in sauna (preferably infrared sauna), or pooping daily at least once, supporting yourself by drinking purified water and including plenty of fiber in your diet, natural detoxification is limited.

If you continue exposure to processed foods, sweeteners, polluted water or air, or have a mouthful of old amalgams, you’re making it harder to detox.

Even eating what seem to be healthy foods, that aren’t for you, can contribute to this disrupted detoxification because your body isn’t processing them well. I didn’t understand the mechanism behind this and if you have a queasy stomach, you may want to turn this off. I’ve vomited directly onto my laptop keyboard while drinking a really poor coffee choice.

You may wonder why I talk about clean sources of matcha and coffee ? It matters. Even if you’re getting away with it, doesn’t mean there isn’t damage being done. If you have 95% of everything well, missing a step may not be a problem here and there. But when your body becomes loaded down, even with those of us that live health-consciously, your body will rebel somehow.

I put together a list of things I did last year, and among them:

• 182 gallons of drinking water
• 109 Epsom salt baths
• 730 mugs of matcha
• 500+ showers

Considering that, first and foremost, what if my drinking water or tap water is contaminated? Fluoride, chlorine, or I was drinking out of plastics, soaking in water regularly? What if I wasn’t careful of my matcha and was drinking mold and heavy metal-laden green tea? I’m doing those things every single day.

BTW: I choose PIQUE and you should too! If you’re a coffee drinker – I do recently more too – because I’m drinking a coffee designed to NOT have mold(common) and infused with minerals and electrolytes. Try it yourself here. I also had a water filter system installed for the entire house and for drinking water.

It took three times for me to roast a pan of veggies, eat them and almost immediately, get nauseous and throw up to put the clues together. It was the food for sure, specifically sulfurous foods. That I ate often: broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, onions and garlic. Just to name a few that I eat often in copious amounts. Now, sulfur can be good for the body, but if something else is off, it can trigger the issues like I’ve described. It’s not about eliminating those foods 100% all the time. It’s about fixing the root cause of the problem.

Why Would You Need a Detox? Here’s what I find is the kicker; signs you may need a detox mimic many signs of menopause:

• Weight gain
• Inability to lose weight
• Bloating, constipation, diarrhea
• Puffiness
• Lethargy and fatigue
• Insomnia
• Elevated Cholesterol
• Water retention
• Headaches
• Skin rashes, acne
• Moodiness
• Unstable blood sugar or insulin resistance

So it’s not a coincidence. At a time when your hormones change, you tolerate things less well. Your body has the hormetic stress of the phase of life you’re in, and possibly can’t work as hard to process all the toxins from your past and present as well.

How can we support our natural detox processes? How Your Exercise Supports Natural Detox – Podcast Episode

First and foremost, start exercising regularly if you’re not already. Exercise moves everything so your circulation, respiration, digestion are all enhanced. You’ll sweat, expire and eliminate toxins better. The lymphatic system is a part of that and you’ll hear more about that in the podcast on natural detox with exercise.

Natural detox occurs with the liver first every day. It filters everything. But if it’s on overload as from above it can’t do the job. There’s three ways to lighten the load.

• First, reduce exposure to toxins.
• Second, reduce the load on the body.
• Third, support the key ways toxins are eliminated: pee, poop, sweat.

If you wanted to do a natural 3 day detox you could:

• Upgrade all the products you use on a daily and weekly basis. Perfumes and fragrance in lotions and shampoos are toxic, so look everywhere. Eliminate foods you know are toxic for you – processed foods, those with preservatives/additives, use organic, alcohol and sugar.
• Eat lighter with soups and smoothies or cooked veggies to reduce digestive stress. Consider intermittent fasting for a longer period of time. Move but don’t do strenuous or long intense exercise during this time. Get lots of rest.
• Drink lots of pure filtered water, increase your fiber intake, move regularly, or sauna.

My detox experience? In order to support detox for something specific like mold exposure – I used glutathione and Charcoal.

In order to do a liver cleanse I took supplements with scalar frequency and those that helped me intermittent fast with some boosted benefits for the body’s own rejuvenation.

Inside the Flipping 50 membership, we regularly do a self-directed kickstart. This is just a very simple elimination of food sensitivities, awareness of other toxins in your environment, knowledge of how to support your own system and tracking progress start to end. But sometimes it takes more. I’ve done a liver cleanse with Sara Banta of Accelerated Health Products.

I’ve done this three times now and it gets easier each time and I’ve learned so much. Look, I don’t like “cleaning myself out.” But this recent process was so easy compared to previous flushes. I’ll do it again sooner than I have before. She made the final stages so much easier. Perhaps I’m less distracted than I’ve been for a decade too. The entire process was just simpler and smoother.

The exposure to amyloid proteins and spike protein that are real for all of us who regularly think of chicken and turkey, not to mention the post-pandemic status whether or not you chose to do a poke.

For me, the final cleaning out was no less pleasant but it also was a huge eye opener about what’s going on in my body, why I have felt less than 100%. And for those of you that “do well.” In fact, if you do better than most, it’s all too easy to settle and tell yourself what others are telling you: you do so much, I don’t know how you do it… I know you!

But stop… if you don’t feel 100%, you’re not. End of story. Dig for why.

In show notes I’ll share how to get access to Sara’s next cleanse. She does them monthly, with a coaching group where she answers questions, a very complete pdf, as well as videos to explain what and exactly how to do the cleanse. If you choose to do it, I’ll support you in any way I can too.

I’ll share the other ways I detox every day and week of the year with my coffee, tea, and sauna and inside our member’s area for our members, you’ll be able to search for detox options to DIY or with our other members.

Resources:

Ascent Liver Cleanse & Liver Flush: https://www.flippingfifty.com/cleanse

My Matcha: https://www.flippingfifty.com/piquetea

My Coffee: https://www.flippingfifty.com/givedanger CODE: Flipping50

My Sauna: https://www.flippingfifty.com/sauna [I have a solo]

Other Episodes You Might Like:

How Your Exercise Supports Natural Detox

https://www.flippingfifty.com/exercise-supports-natural-detox

To Detox and If So How to Detox: Midlife Woman to Midlife Woman https://www.flippingfifty.com/how-to-detox/

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Every once in a while inspiring stories come across my desk and I’m so excited to share this episode. Author, Lauren Hurst - who calls herself not an author - wrote a book about older athletes sharing their path and performance.. Some of which will blow you away.

I’ll link in this episode to a previous episode with the hosts of the Huntington World Games in St George Utah. We’ve had some amazing examples of athleticism in our lifetime. Yet, too little. We hear of 103 year old runners because there are so few. Yet, we don’t think we’ll be doing that at 103.

Many 52 year olds think they are too old to run any more. It’s not necessarily age. And maybe running isn’t or wasn’t even your sport. But something might be.

This episode is for anyone who needs to hear it’s never too late.

Lauren Hurst is the author of North of Forty: Inspiring Stories of Older Athletes. Lauren is a lifelong competitive athlete and independent personal trainer. She has trained clients of all shapes and ability levels from ages 7 to 96, and currently specializes in clients over 60. She holds a BS in Corporate Fitness from Central Connecticut State University. Throughout her athletic career, Lauren has been a competitive tennis player, swimmer, bodybuilder, martial artist, runner, duathlete and triathlete.

Questions We Answer in This Episode: * You describe yourself as “not an author”, what made you decide to take on this kind of project? * Can you share a few of your favorite stories from the book? * Having spoken with so many incredible athletes and hearing about their struggles and how they have adapted as they’ve grown older, has this experience changed the way you think about your own competitive and athletic goals? * What did you learn that surprised you? * What advice would you give someone reading the book (maybe someone who is older and doesn’t think of themselves as athletic!) who’s inspired to get more fit? How can they make that happen for themselves?

Connect with Lauren: Website: http://www.northfortyfitness.com

On Social:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/northfortyfitness

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/northfortyfitness/

Resources:

5 Day Flip: https://www.flippingfifty.com/5dayflip

North of Forty: Inspiring Stories of Older Athletes

https://www.amazon.com/North-Forty-Inspiring-Stories-Athletes/dp/B0CHKTLY1J

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Tokyo Olympics Lessons on Aging and Strength| Flipping50 #471

https://www.flippingfifty.com/tokyo-olympics/

The Senior Games | Off The Scale and Onto a Starting Line

https://www.flippingfifty.com/senior-games/

How to Change the Way You Age | Bolder is Better

https://www.flippingfifty.com/growing-bolder/

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You lift the weights, drop the collagen in your coffee and hydrate like it’s your job but still with the toned muscles see loose skin. A female scientist may have the answer for crepey skin.

In 2018 I received hundreds of applications for the Flipping50TV show https://www.flippingfifty.com/flipping-50-tv/. Popular questions made it to the show. The 18th episode (of the 39 done in 3 seasons) was literally about crepey skin. In the letter it was from a woman who’d experienced significant weight loss, yet her loose skin was an issue. She’s not alone. Even without weight loss, at some moment post menopause when that estrogen needle bonks, almost all women notice a difference.

But some seem to have it figured out. Not all women 60 or 65 or 70 have the same skin. So what’s the difference? Lifestyle habits matter. And for secret weapons, this episode shares a relatively new discovery.

Tackling the Solution for Crepey Skin In this engaging podcast episode, Dr. Alessandra, the Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of OneSkin, dives deep into the world of skin longevity.

A Flipping 50 TV Episode Offers a Solution for Crepey Skin: My Guest: Dr. Alessandra is the Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of OneSkin, a disruptive and fast-growing skin longevity company developing products to address the root causes of aging so that skin functions, feels, and appears younger.

The company was founded by a team of 4 female PhD-level longevity scientists with 15+ years of experience in stem cell biology, skin regeneration, aging, and bioinformatics. They started building a skin aging platform to validate products in the market. After they discovered that many anti-aging skincare products are not only ineffective but often accelerate the aging process and compromise skin’s health, they set a screening platform to identify new molecules that could target the root causes of skin aging.

Dr. Alessandra led the team that identified the OS-01, the world’s first cosmetic peptide that reverses aging at the molecular level, showed significant improvement in skin health and appearance in 100% of users, according to a third party clinical study.

OneSkin has gained recognition from key opinion leaders in longevity science, including foremost authority on biohacking Dave Asprey, world-renowned aging research doctor David Sinclair, and Tony Robbins. They have also been featured in many leading media outlets like CNN, Forbes, LA Weekly, and US Insider.

Dr. Alessandra holds a Master’s degree in stem cell biology and a PhD in skin regeneration and tissue engineering from the Federal University of Minas Gerais in Brazil. She led the OneSkin team that discovered a new molecule, OS-01, capable of reducing the skin’s biological age.

Dr. Alessandra is also the co-inventor of five patents and has published 20 peer-reviewed papers in scientific journals.

Questions We Answer in This Episode: * What are the greatest contributors to skin aging – and do they differ from aging in general? * You also discovered that certain products on the market targeting women actually accelerate aging – the very ones we’re putting on our skin to help .. every woman listening wants to know if she has something on her bathroom counter that accelerates the aging process! * The skin aging science behind OneSkin product results such as improving skin barrier, evenness, elasticity, reducing wrinkles, and ultimately, the skin biological age. * What prompted you to move from academia (college, Master’s, PhD, and post-doc) to running a disruptive startup? that aims to be the first to deliver true skin rejuvenation. How did the discovery or development of OS-01 happen? * How old are you and how have you personally used the products? Did you first begin to experiment with your own skin? How do you use the products?

Connect with Dr. Alessandra: Website: https://www.flippingfifty.com/oneskin

On Social:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OneSkinTech/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneskin.co/?hl=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvNUO9jiMfYy2kCVUNj8pNQ?app=desktop

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alessandra-zonari-80262258/

Resources:

OneSkin: https://www.flippingfifty.com/oneskin

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Your Hormones and Skin in Midlife | Interview with TheSpaDr https://www.flippingfifty.com/hormones-and-skin/

Acne in Menopause? How to Deal with It | Interview with a Skin Expert https://www.flippingfifty.com/acne-in-aging-and-menopause/

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Time to get your best sleep in midlife (and later)!! You’re going to hear about thought restructuring, placebo effects, and how to improve your days by improving your nights.

Does sex before bed improve your sleep?

What do you do if you’re waking at 2 or 3 am? Why might you be waking at these times and why does the frequency of wake ups increase?

Need Tips on Sleep? My free Sleep Yourself Skinny eguide

My Guest: Morgan Adams is a transformative holistic sleep coach who empowers women to conquer their battle with sleepless nights, without reliance on sleep medications. With her powerful sleep toolkit, Morgan not only ensures that women experience a profound enhancement in their sleep quality, but she also guides them in rekindling their relationship with sleep, paving the way for less stressful and more fulfilling days.

Having struggled with insomnia and dependency on prescription sleeping pills for almost a decade, Morgan intimately understands the profound impact sleep has on one’s quality of life.

Morgan’s resilience shines bright as a two-time breast cancer survivor. This experience fueled her advocacy for a lifestyle rooted in disease prevention. Her wisdom and guidance extend far beyond just sleep, as she champions holistic well-being in all aspects of life.

Questions We Answer in This Episode: * What are the most powerful (and free!) sleep tips for women in midlife? * What’s the best way to deal with midlife insomnia? * Why are more women (vs. men) having problems sleeping in midlife? * What’s causing my 3am wake-ups and what can I do about them? * How important are morning/evening routines for sleep? * How helpful are wearable sleep trackers?

Connect with Morgan: Website: https://www.morganadamswellness.com/

On Social:

Facebook: https://www.linkedin.com/in/morganadamswellness/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morganadams.wellness/?hl=en

Other Episodes You Might Like:

How to Lose 100 lbs (in your 60s) and the Obstacles Along the Way: https://www.flippingfifty.com/lose-100-lbs/

7 Expert SLEEP TIPS for Good Nights and Great Days: https://www.flippingfifty.com/sleep-tips/

Exercise and Sleep in Menopause | Hormone Balancing Tips: https://www.flippingfifty.com/sleep-in-menopause/

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For the ultimate tips on longevity in women 40 and over we’re diving into whole body vibration in this episode with a spokesperson and brand ambassador for Power Plate.

Did you know whole body vibration was first used by astronauts to essentially add protection of bones when in space? Did you know the brand I use, Power Plate, has been available for 20 years?

My Guest: Caroline Pearce, a former international heptathlete and bobsledder for Great Britain, seamlessly transitioned into a successful career as a TV presenter, reporter, commentator, and event host. Holding a First Class Honors Degree in Sports Science and a Master’s Degree in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology from Loughborough University, she is also a published author and a go-to fitness and nutrition consultant.

Currently a leading host and reporter for TNT Sports UK, Caroline presents pre and post-fight shows and interviews on the Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) and boxing. She has also served as a host for ESPN, Fox Sports and NBC Sports. As a fitness and health expert with over 15 years of experience, she is an author, produced an award-winning DVD fitness series, and content contributor. She is here because of her 20 years as a master trainer specializing in Power Plate whole body vibration education.

Her extensive athletic career includes achievements as a national heptathlon champion and silver medallist in the Long Jump. Caroline represented Great Britain in the European Cup Heptathlon Team and later joined the Great Britain Bobsleigh team competing at the World Championships. As ‘Ice’ on the revival of ‘Gladiators,’ she became a fan-favorite, showcasing her prowess in sports-entertainment.

Power Plate - use CODE: Flipping50 Questions We Answer in This Episode: * Tell us how old you are? * First, how did you go from a long jump medalist to spokesperson for Power Plate? What’s the relationship there? * That said, let’s talk about the results and kind of exercise you were doing for rehab that gave you such great results? * Any studies that stand out for you- one for me is the activation of the lateral quad at 138% greater rate compared to the same exercise off? * Let’s review the Hz and the Amplitude settings and discuss what they mean and why it’s important and related to results. * This audience is focused on bone loss prevention or reversing and the research on bone density benefits with WBV/Power Plate have been extremely impressive and hopeful – what protocols are you seeing greatest benefits from? * Let’s talk research on weight loss and particularly visceral belly fat, given it’s such a high risk factor for disease and many of our listeners, whether weight is or isn’t an issue are dealing with belly fat, blood sugar issue and insulin resistance as a part of pre-diabetes * The reduction in the appearance of cellulite I want to say is not why 95% of my audience would invest in Power Plate, yet no listener is going to object to that extra bonus! Say more about this * Let’s talk about benefits for those least active and or for those times inactivity has a reason- injury healing, lymph stimulation * What might be common mistakes women may be making with their WBV?

Connect with Caroline: Website: https://www.carolinepearcetv.com/

On Social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolinepearce/

https://www.instagram.com/powerplateusa/?hl=en

Resources:

Power Plate: https://www.flippingfifty.com/PowerPlate CODE: Flipping50

Other Episodes You Might Like:

How Your Exercise Supports Natural Detox

https://www.flippingfifty.com/exercise-supports-natural-detox

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Exercise both directly and indirectly influences detox.

Exercise increases respiration, circulation and sweat production.

Exercise [in the sweet spot] also improves digestion and elimination so the toxins released can be removed.

Exercise stimulates the lymphatic system (an integral part of the immune system for removal of metabolic waste and toxins). The Lymphatic system relies on muscular contractions and body vibration to move fluids through the body.

Indirectly exercise supports natural detox by being a catalyst. Working out often helps increase water intake, improve nutrition choices and sleep.

Are Some Exercises Better at Supporting Detox Than Others? Look, any movement and regularly doing so, even gentle yoga and walking support circulation. If you’re able to exercise more intensely and sweat regularly your circulation is going to benefit more. Be mindful, this isn’t a “more is better” thing. We need to move daily, and as much as more intense exercise will indeed get muscles and heart pumping to greater extent, we also need rest and recovery.

But there are movements traditionally suggested for lymphatic drainage and you may wonder why. Here are two:

Movement like rebounding which has been found to be good for lymph stimulation.

Here’s the mechanism behind it.

Rebounding causes the valves in the lymphatic system to open and close simultaneously increasing lymphatic flow by as much as 15%

2-3 minutes once or twice a day with feet staying in contact with surface

Lymphatic flow requires 1) muscular contraction from exercise and movement, 2) gravitational pressure, and 3) internal massage to the valves of lymph ducts. Rebounding supplies all three methods of removing waste products from the cells and from the body.

The gravitational pull could be provided from many exercises, but with rebounding repeated gravitational pull is provided rapidly over and over with landing.

However, there is not a lot of science suggesting that lymphatic drainage is indeed improved by rebounding. A small pilot study of 7 in 2018 seemed positive but with women with lower limb lymphedema.

Whole body Vibration Exercise Supports Natural Detox Whole body vibration activates 95% of the muscles in the entire body, creating a full-body circulation and lymphatic flow. This vibration therapy is better than massage because it uses the body’s natural muscle movement to ensure full-body lymphatic drainage.

The high levels of muscle contractions you’ll experience on a Whole Body Vibration plate stimulate the lymph to FLUSH toxins by moving the lymphatic system, without more strenuous exercise. Even a short, seemingly light exercise session does this.

Lymphedema.net suggests a Hz of 10-30 for lymphatic drainage.

Another site suggests 30-50 for optimal muscle stimulation. And 30Hz has been used in bone health studies successfully enhancing bone density.

The WBV I use is a Power Plate Move. It’s a Medical Device Directive (MDD) Certified Medical device as well as a Class 1c US FDA-registered device.

Could Exercise Sabotage Your Detox?

Exercise mistakes might limit the positive effects of exercise on detox.

Exercise is stress and too much stress will backfire. Exercise causes inflammation. The inflammatory response to exercise supports a body’s resilience – to stress and infection or illness. But if you are already at a tipping point for your body, that additional inflammation may put you over the edge. That is if it’s too much for you at the moment. That doesn’t have to mean you’re attempting a marathon. But if you’re already under stress, trying to maintain the same exercise you do when you’re fully healthy and energetic, could be wrong.

Heads Up: There are Critics

You’re going to read critics of the concept of lymph drainage. Be prepared! But I think for many of us, lymphatic drainage isn’t the #1 reason for purchasing a whole body vibration tool. Even if lymph drain is a key benefit for you, it may be the bone density that is life saving because it’s as a result of the treatments that were necessary. We all are going to have to continue to filter.

References:

Effect of 6-month Whole Body Vibration Training on Hip Density, Muscle Strength, and Postural Control in Postmenopausal Women: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 2004 Mar 22:19(3): 352-9. Epub 2003 Dec 22.

The Effect of Whole-Body Vibration on Lower Extremity Skin Blood Flow in Normal Subjects. Medical Science Monitor, Vol 13(2) pp. CR71-76, 20071.

Cugusi L, Manca A, Serpe R, Romita G, Bergamin M, Cadeddu C, Solla P, Mercuro G; Working Group of Gender Cardiovascular Disease of the Italian Society of Cardiology. Effects of a mini-trampoline rebounding exercise program on functional parameters, body composition and quality of life in overweight women. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2018 Mar;58(3):287-294. doi: 10.23736/S0022-4707.16.06588-9. Epub 2016 Jul 21. PMID: 27441918.

Resources:

Join the Cleanse: https://www.flippingfifty.com/cleanse

Power Plate: https://www.flippingfifty.com/PowerPlate Code: Flipping50

My Whole Body Vibration: https://www.flippingfifty.com/PowerPlate Use Code: FLIPPING50 for a very special offer JUST for Flipping 50 community members. Seeing this Jan 2024? Don’t miss it!! A massage gum PLUS 25% (normally 20% for our community)

Other Episodes You Might Like:

The Genetics of Metabolism and Weight Loss for Women Over 40 https://www.flippingfifty.com/genetics-of-metabolism/

Perfection Detox for the Mindset of Midlife Success https://www.flippingfifty.com/perfection-detox/

Higher Metabolism with Thermogenesis: What’s the Influence of Foods?

https://www.flippingfifty.com/higher-metabolism/

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Wonder how to detox? Or if you even need to? I know my view on this has changed dramatically in the last decade. Once under the belief that our body’s detox naturally enough to do the job, I don’t think that’s the case any more. I think we often need a boost and depending on how clean your lifestyle more or less often.

By now you know toxins absorbed by our body because we eat them, breath them, wear them (including fragrances) or have them in our homes or cars… are stored in fat. That makes fat hard to lose. But there’s more to it. Those toxins still do damage and compromise your function.

This episode is about how to detox.

My Guest: In addition to being the host of the Top 100 Health Podcast, Accelerated Health TV & Radio Show which reaches over 600,000 listeners per month, Sara Banta is the owner and founder of the award-winning supplement company; Accelerated Health Products.

Her goal is to help her clients and listeners reach their optimal state of health through quality detox supplements, cutting-edge health technologies, and modalities.

Her journey was on a different path until she hit rock bottom.

After western medicine couldn’t give her the health answers she was looking for, she discovered natural solutions that actually worked.

As she was healing from Crohn’s disease, hormonal issues, PCOS, IBS, and heavy metal toxicity, she was hit with my 9-year-old son’s diagnosis of leukemia. It was at that moment she knew she had a bigger calling in life; to open people’s eyes to the world of natural healing.

Fast forward to today where she serves her clients and listeners with cutting-edge protocols that combine Scalar frequency-based supplements, DNA-based Dietary protocols, Chinese medicine, healing devices, and much more so that they can detox, reset and rebuild their Body, Mind, and Spirit.

She is a graduate of Stanford University with Degrees in Economics and Psychology, as well as a graduate of the Institute of Integrative Nutrition, and the Invincible Wellness System.

Questions We Answer in This Episode: * What are the causes of unexplained weight gain? * What are the hidden causes of Insulin Resistance * What are the signs of a sluggish liver and how can you repair any liver damage naturally? * How are common signs of menopause related to or hinting at a need for detox? * How can Detox improve or resolve insulin resistance? * How effective will a detox be if you may still be exposing yourself (unintentionally) to toxins?

Still have questions on how to detox? Connect with Sara.

Connect with Sara: Website: https://sarabantahealth.com

https://www.flippingfifty.com/cleanse

On Social:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acceleratedhealthproducts

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acceleratedhealthproducts/

X: https://twitter.com/sarawbanta

Resources:

Accelerated Health Leaky Gut Bundle: https://www.flippingfifty.com/cleanse

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Perfection Detox for the Mindset of Midlife Success

https://www.flippingfifty.com/perfection-detox/

Higher Metabolism with Thermogenesis: What’s the Influence of Foods?

https://www.flippingfifty.com/higher-metabolism/

The Genetics of Metabolism and Weight Loss for Women Over 40

https://www.flippingfifty.com/genetics-of-metabolism/

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If you’ve got a belly fat issue you potentially also have a need to balance blood sugar. In this episode I answer a community member question.

Community Member Question:

“I am struggling with keeping my blood sugar balanced. I am wearing the CGM and it is showing my blood sugar going below 70 many times during the night and 2-3x during the day. Trying to figure this all out. Balanced meals don’t seem to be doing much to help. Tonight I am having a protein shake with 40 grams of protein and 30 grams of fiber. Hoping this keeps things more steady overnight and I can get some restful sleep. Not asking for medical advice here, just moral support.”

SHE IS JUST RECOVERING FROM AN ILLNESS.

While there isn’t necessarily wrong with a 70 or lower at night if you feel fine, crashing during the day definitely raises some questions. Clarified with the individual it was that it down (but not numbers given to what) 2-3 times during the day.

How to Use a CGM to Balance Blood Sugar * Observe first. Change second. * Energy, food, activity, stress and sleep all matter. * Did you simply record what is “norm” for you right now? * What is your stable energy all day level? * CGMs may need to be adjusted or recalibrated to you. Don’t let arbitrary numbers dictate what’s true for you.

On the other hand if you feel the highs and crashes, then we want adjustments.

Are you monitoring your stress levels and your sequence of food?

Sequence can change the impact of a meal by 75%.

Any meal eaten under stress or sleep deprived will spike blood sugar more than it would otherwise.

Try comparing it to a mixed meal. Dine on real food and compare. You’re mixing in a protein shake and this may not be working. But TESTING is key.

A liquid meal like a smoothie at night may not support your stable levels as much as a solid meal that takes longer to digest. There is an appropriate time to do smoothies but there’s also a time you’re better off doing solid food that takes hours to break down and then acts like a “time-release” drip for more balance blood sugar.

So you’ve tried X.. .how can you have the same food stuff in a different form or order (make ONE change and see if there is a difference.

Document sleep, stress and exercise status: they are also impacting. Chances are poor sleep is impacting your responses. I would not suggest a shake at dinner if you want better sleep. Give your gut whole food.

Experiment: In the protein shake you had:

X protein

X carb X fat.

What happens if you adjust the protein, fiber, carb or fat? Not all at once, but changing one will change the ratio.

How to Test to Balance Blood Sugar Levels What happens if you have a PLATE of whole food instead?

Salmon

Carb in legume soup or bean salad (to bump your fiber)

Added fiber to reach same.

Then try again … same meal in different order.. Carbs last.. What happens?

Testing means you change ONE variable at a time. Keep in mind week 1 should be recording what is your usual habit. Week 2 and so on should be consciously testing ONE thing at a time.

Other Factors in Monitoring Blood Sugar Balance with CGM Are you taking High doses of Vitamin C? This can create false reports of blood sugar if you’re using some CGMs.

Does this feel right? The monitor may not be functioning properly or require some calibration. Did you know we tend to default to having done something wrong! It’s not always us!

Resources:

My CGM of Choice: https://www.flippingfifty.com/myglucose

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Answers to Your CGM Questions: For Non-diabetics

https://www.flippingfifty.com/answers-to-your-cgm-questions/

28-Day CGM Experiment: What I Learned This Time

https://www.flippingfifty.com/28-day-cgm-experiment/

Walking Off Weight in Menopause | Controlling Blood Sugar

https://www.flippingfifty.com/walking-off-weight/

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How would you like to grow your own food for dinner? Step outside your door or head to a special place on your counter and grab your spinach or microgreens, wash them and enjoy?

No matter where you live, my guest today tells us we can do this. I love the idea of pulling it out of the ground and eating it full of nutrients instead of knowing it’s been flown or trucked in, sat in the store and then in my refrigerator… all the while losing nutrients.

And of course, that’s if the nutrient density of the soil it was grown in was good to begin with. We’ve got reasons to want better nutrition than we can buy at the grocery store.

My Guest: Katie Oglesby is an edible Garden Designer and holistic health coach on a mission to help her clients to stop being passive participants in their health journeys and become courageous, informed advocates for their wellbeing. As a Garden Coach and Real Food Advocate, she fuses the healing power of gardening with the healing power of food-as-medicine in her garden designs and holistic approach to a garden-to-table lifestyle.

Questions We Answer in This Episode: * What propelled you into leading a gardening? * What happens to nutrient density from harvest to the refrigerator or the time we cook it? * How easy is it to grow your own salad or herb garden? * Do you have tips about growing in seasons? * How can you grow in the off-season or small spaces? * Why are you a fan of utilizing herbs more and avoiding the spice aisle? * Any other benefits of gardening beyond the food density?

Connect with Katie: Website: http://autojuvenation.com

On Social:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katiemoglesby

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katiemoglesby/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/katiemoglesby/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-oglesby-ba582362/

Resources:

Garden to Table Guidebook

https://katie-oglesby.mykajabi.com/mini-course-guidebook

5 Day Flip: https://www.flippingfifty.com/5dayflip

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Higher Metabolism with Thermogenesis: What’s the Influence of Foods?

https://www.flippingfifty.com/higher-metabolism/

When Healthy Foods Cause Fat and Weight Gain

https://www.flippingfifty.com/healthy-foods/

How Not to Die From Your Nutrition Mistakes

https://www.flippingfifty.com/nutrition-mistakes/

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It is possible to boost your metabolism in midlife and it’s probably not going to happen from a diet. In fact everything about a diet will tell your body to burn fewer calories and slow your metabolism and deplete energy.

Why do we collectively still resort to eating less? That’s going to be a puzzle to solve for all time perhaps. But perhaps not for you. Because in this episode we talk about a far more uplifting option and honestly we review the reality of eating less and what it REALLY does to your body.

My Guest: Nagina Abdullah is a weight-loss coach for women and professionals and founder of the website MasalaBody.com. She coaches women to boost metabolism naturally and simplifies creating a healthy lifestyle, even if they have tried everything. Nagina has a degree in Molecular and Cell Biology from UC Berkeley and has helped over 1200 professional women successfully lose weight.

Questions We Answer in This Episode: * Why diets no longer work, and why what worked before stops working in midlife * How to eat the foods you love and burn fat by adding, pairing, and timing these metabolism-boosting foods * The final and important step to sustainably burn fat while getting rid of your sugar cravings for good

Connect with Nagina: Connect with Nagina’s 7-Day summit: The Boost Your Metabolism in Midlife https://www.flippingfifty.com/bym

On Social:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/masalabody

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/naginametabolismboostcoach/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nagina-abdullah/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/masalabody

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/masalabody/

Resources:

Boost Your Metabolism Conference: https://www.flippingfifty.com/bym

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Holding on to Metabolism Boosting Muscle in Menopause https://www.flippingfifty.com/muscle-in-menopause/

Higher Metabolism with Thermogenesis: What’s the Influence of Foods? https://www.flippingfifty.com/higher-metabolism/

How Not to Die From Your Nutrition Mistakes https://www.flippingfifty.com/nutrition-mistakes/

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This episode kicks off the New Year with something we seem to all be so interested in, right behind belly fat, and that’s longevity. Is it just me or is it even 30-somethings now trying to reverse aging? Unpacking all that this is and isn’t could be a philosophical episode all on its own.

Instead, I’d thought we’d take a look at 4 ways testing your longevity is possible, at home. Now, these tests are not fool-proof. And if you have an old injury or condition, you won’t be able to do one or more. Yet, say some of the researchers, that’s the reason to pay attention – close attention – to the things you can control! So, knowing is good.

But also.. Please… don’t let this discourage you. It’s not too late.

An article in Inc. magazine got my attention the other day.

Apparently a 60-year-old startup founder is 3x as likely to found a successful startup as a 30-year-old startup founder and 1.7 times more likely to have it wind up in the top 0.1 percent of all companies.

You can’t do that – or anything meaningful – sick, old, tired or with stale ideas.

So whether you’re one of our healthpreneurs or not, you’re at an advantage if you’re truly healthy.

Can you do 20 push ups? Sit and stand (barefoot on the floor unassisted)? Walk between at a minimum of 3.3 mph? and hang from a pull up bar for at least 30 seconds?

You’re not only going to live longer but you can run your business (or family, home and organizations you volunteer for) like a boss.

The first quarter of 2024 the Flipping 50 Membership is going to focus on benchmarking, improving and retesting. In addition to testing those progress chart tracking we always encourage (measurements, body composition and objective ratings of our daily health) we’re targeting these.

Here’s how you can start this at home! (or inside our membership? Do this with us the weekend of the 13th and 14th!

Community Member Question: Intermittent Fasting and Exercise Molly asked, “Debra I have been wanting to incorporate fasting into my health regime. However with your current recommendations of working out in a fed state I have found it is very difficult to get enough protein and to maintain the fasted state. I read the book Feast Fast Repeat and it goes against a lot of the information you recommend. It’s difficult for me to fast for 18 to 20 hours and feel good. Just wondering what your thoughts are on fasting?”

Start earlier. That makes it simple! You don’t have “dinner” at dinner time.. You have a last high protein meal at 3 or 4pm.

Fasting has a purpose. Getting off a plateau. You can kickstart with an 18 or 20 hour fast but there is NO reason if you’re an active person to do this regularly. Rotate.., 12, 14, 15, 18 ….

Rotating the amount of carbs you have also becomes important. Overall, lower than you’ve probably had before in your life (remember when you’d have two bagels at a sitting?) But you might toggle between 50 and 100 grams a day. If you always go long fasting, if you also restrict calories when you are in an eating window, and if you never vary carbs and always go low, you will have no metabolic flexibility. For the majority of humans that just won’t work. Your body is getting stressed by each of those things and never rewarded and replenished. Just where is that energy to do work and fun stuff going to come from?

If this was your first book? Keep reading. It’s good but there are dozens of ways to fast. They include just going lower calorie for 5 days (with higher fat and lower protein), and using bone broth or doing smoothies twice daily. There are so many ways to start. But for intermittent fasting to be the goal then starting to extend your overnight fast is the beginning. Hit 12 hours. Try 13 and 14. See how you do. But don’t always do it.

Your week should NOT ever look the same every day or you lose metabolic flexibility. If your goal is to stay active and gain muscle and bone density … tell me in a 20 hour fast how you manage to get micronutrients in.

What we all have to do is prioritize. It’s not intermittent fasting and exercise. It’s intermittent fasting OR exercise. Which do you need most right now and why?

Also relevant: do you have any emotional eating tendencies or a history of eating disorder or diet and binge? If yes, this is a slippery slope for you. (see resources)

Testing Your Longevity with 4 Tests PUSHUPS

Can you do 20 pushups? For females this is the goal as estimated based on the male-only study finding 40 pushups for men significantly decreased risk of cardiovascular risk. Further, it was a better indicator than sub-maximal treadmill tests. While VO2 capacity is associated with longevity, assessing VO2 max is limited to those first with access to a lab and those highly motivated to endure the discomfort a true test requires.

Pros:

The push up is a test of multiple things including upper body strength as well as core. Overall, it’s a functional use of the body. If you can do it horizontally, good form and posture vertically is far more likely.

Cons:

If you’re at all compromised, as many are, with ability to stabilize the scapular (shoulder blades) or with shoulder rotator cuff issues, and can’t maintain good form head to toe the push up can be injurious at worst or increase poor mechanics at best.

Flip:

I’d much rather that we all could do at least a few pull ups.

WALKING PACE

Can you walk a pace between 3-4 mph? It’s actually 3.3 that supports bone density, while slower paces don’t. So, there’s that too.

If you’re over 60, the effect of slow vs fast walk (at least 3-4 mph) is even more pronounced in reducing all-cause mortality. Like 53% less.

Map out a mile of relatively flat surface. Warm up, test your speed. When returning to retest be sure you do the exact same course.

Pros:

This is directly related to our independence later in life. Being able to walk at a respectable pace (I wouldn’t designate this as fast) is a factor of weight and mobility, muscle and joint and metabolic health. Inability to perform this one already indicates a need to buff other areas to compensate.

Cons:

If you’re compromised due to a previous injury or a condition in feet, ankles, knees, hips or significantly overweight there is already a limited ability to walk, this test is not a possibility.

Next up for testing your longevity is a challenging one!! So I hope you’re warmed up!

SIT RISE TEST

A study in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found how well you do the stand to sit to stand test indicates your risk of mortality.

Stand barefoot, cross one leg over the other and lower yourself to a sitting position. Then try to stand back up.

Attempt to do so without touching the floor with your hand, knees, elbows, forearms or sides of your legs.

You begin with 10 points. Subtract half a point each time you use a body part to shift to one side before levering up. Also subtract half a point if you lose balance.

In the study those that scored less than 8 points were twice as likely to die within the following six years. Those that scored less than 5 were three times as likely to die within the following six years.

An increase in your score of any kind reduces your mortality rate by 21%.

Pros:

This requires flexibility, balance, mobility and muscle strength. Any lack of balance, flexibility, strength or being overweight make the test harder. Each of these components is correlated to risk of mortality.

Cons:

Compromise in a joint that limits the performance of this test may not reveal that some level of these functional components are present in other joints and are evidenced in other activities.

You need a tool for testing your longevity with this next test. They aren’t costly and some gyms likely also have them.

GRIP STRENGTH

In 2018 the grip strength test was determined to correlate to overall body strength and muscle mass.

Low overall muscle strength (as correlated with grip strength) is a health hazard to all health outcomes except for colon cancer, prostate cancer and lung cancer.

You can buy a dynamometer to test grip or for an easier at home or gym option, hang from a pull up bar. For men 60, and for women 30 seconds is a good target, suggest some researchers. Yet, it’s an increase or decrease that you want to watch. A six-pound decrease (as tested on with the hand grip tool – but that may correlate to any reduced time hanging) correlates with 16 percent higher risk of dying from any cause.

To improve grip strength, you don’t want to just work on grip strength however. Don’t go around the house squeezing tennis balls. That’s not really the value of the test. Improve your overall skeletal muscle strength. Other ways to assess total body strength are a one-rep max or estimated 1-rep max by doing a 10-rep max. Grip strength is far less intimidating and less injurious. But make no mistake your bench press, row or pull up, or leg press weight should also be improving.

Are You Built to Last (and Love It?)

This small battery of tests are simple ways to assess your function. Every test has limitations. You may not be able to do one or more of them. The best use of them is in addition to outcomes like body fat percent (30% is obese), waist girth (for women, 35 inches significantly increases health risk), amount of muscle mass (in pounds or kilograms) primarily to know if you’re gaining, losing or at very least preserving are additional objective measures. You may already be using these without knowing the significance of them.

Flipping 50 Members have access to a Progress tracking both objective and subjective measures of progress. If you’re not inside the members area yet with a course, membership, or downloadable freebie, you can start here. https://www.flippingfifty.com/login

The point in measuring and interpreting these is realizing the habits you’ve had to this point got you the results you have at this point. If you wish to change the outcome, you change the habits related to them. An injury or condition may have limited your ability to perform a certain test. This awareness can still be an asset if it highlights the need to strengthen other areas of your health span longevity.

Need support? Join us for a masterclass Jan 10, 2024 https://www.flippingfifty.com/olderandstronger

Resources:

Masterclass: https://www.flippingfifty.com/olderandstronger

Membership: https://www.flippingfifty.com/cafe

Smart Scale: https://www.flippingfifty.com/givescale

Handgrip:

Power Plate: https://www.flippingfifty.com/powerplate – use code flipping50 for 25% off and free massage gun with purchase

References:

Araújo CGS, Castro CLB, Franca JFC, Araújo DS. Sitting–rising test: Sex- and age-reference scores derived from 6141 adults. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. 2020;27(8):888-890. doi:10.1177/2047487319847004

Celis-Morales C A, Welsh P, Lyall D M, Steell L, Petermann F, Anderson J et al. Associations of grip strength with cardiovascular, respiratory, and cancer outcomes and all cause mortality: prospective cohort study of half a million UK Biobank participants BMJ 2018; 361 :k1651 doi:10.1136/bmj.k1651

de Brito LBB, Ricardo DR, de Araújo DSMS, Ramos PS, Myers J, de Araújo CGS. Ability to sit and rise from the floor as a predictor of all-cause mortality. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. 2014;21(7):892-898. doi:10.1177/2047487312471759

Stamatakis E, Kelly P, Strain T, et al

Self-rated walking pace and all-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality: individual participant pooled analysis of 50 225 walkers from 11 population British cohorts

British Journal of Sports Medicine 2018;52:761-768.

Yang J, Christophi CA, Farioli A, et al. Association Between Push-up Exercise Capacity and Future Cardiovascular Events Among Active Adult Men. JAMA Netw Open. 2019;2(2):e188341. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.8341

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Curious about when or how women use CBD to their best advantage? I’ve been using CBD off and on for about 6 years. I originally began after being gifted some products that then loved so much I shared with my mom for her lower back. I’ve used rubs and lotions for recovering from training rides and runs during triathlon training.

But I think there are now several indications as well as formats for using CBD that may make your head spin if you’re new to it. So this episode is designed to help clarify as well as to know what’s the difference between all the products you see available just everywhere now? What’s quality vs not really supportive at all?

But… there is SO MUCH more in this episode. Get to know your hormones better in the next 40 minutes. I promise.

My Guest: Dr. Eric Dorninger ND, LAc is a Registered Naturopathic Doctor and Licensed Acupuncturist. He graduated from Bastyr University (www.bastyr.edu), the leading accredited university for science-based natural medicine. Prior to medical school, he received his B.A. in Kinesiology from the University of Colorado, Boulder in 1997. During this time he also finished his E.M.T. (Emergency Medical Technician) training and volunteering at Porter Care Hospice in Denver. This dual exposure of medical perspectives laid down the roots for Dr. Dorninger’s integrated approach to diagnosis, treatment, and healing. In addition to private practice, Dr. Dorninger teaches functional medicine for Apex Energetics.

Questions We Answer in This Episode: * You have a very unique background, as a kinesiologist and the EMT and hospice time. How did that combination give you a unique perspective in understanding needs of and treating patients? * How long has CBD been used as a wellness tool? * There are a lot of products out there. How does a listener distinguish between quality and marketing? * How does CBD work in the body? What is the science? * How do you most often use it yourself or with patients? * How do you specifically see CBD as a supplement that works for adults age 50+? * Where have you seen CBD as most beneficial for your patients? * Tell us more about CBD and sleep.

Connect with Dr. Eric: On Social:

Website: https://www.bluesky-cbd.com

On Social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drericdorninger/

Podcast: the vitality hour https://www.youtube.com/@thevitalityhour1371

Resources:

Blue Sky CBD: 20 % off https://www.flippingfifty.com/blueskycbd

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Women’s Health Mismanagement: When You Can’t Fire Yourself

https://www.flippingfifty.com/manage-health/

Is a Chiropractor in Your Midlife Health Arsenal?

https://www.flippingfifty.com/chiropractor-in-your-midlife-health-arsenal/

Bone Health, Osteoporosis, Osteopenia Tips You’ve Never Heard

https://www.flippingfifty.com/bone-coach/

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In this, one of my favorite podcasts of the year, you’ll find all the top 10 podcasts of 2023 as voted by you and downloads. Whether you’re listening from the show notes pages at Flippingfifty.com, on iTunes, iHeartRadio, Spotify or any of 80 other platforms where this 10 year old podcast appears twice weekly, I am grateful for you.

My hope in starting this, which is my second podcast, in case you didn’t know. The She Means Fitness Business podcast (previously named Voice for Fitness Professionals, and Fitness Marketing Mastery) was the first podcast I began in 2012. So yes, I’ve been doing this for a minute.

It’s a lot of episodes, a lot of interviews and a lot of tips considering I’ve done 30 day sprints in 2020 even with a daily episode for the business podcast, weekly I provide two episodes a week each, and occasionally a bonus episode.

I’m a teacher and my goal is to use that sense of answering questions before you know to ask them in episodes where I’m diving into a topic based on a listener’s question or I’m interviewing someone like Dr. David Rosensweet, Gin Stephens, or hosting a group of over 60 bodybuilders.

I can’t wait to spend more time with you in 2024. If you love the podcast you also may be interested in the recordings from the 7-day summit I hosted in May 2023. The What, When & Why to Exercise for Women 40+ recording bundle comes with other perks and downloads plus 39 expert recordings on topics directly related to success with exercise over 40.

#10 Episode of the Top Podcasts of 2023 Which Hormones Matter Most in Meno(pause) In this episode I breakdown the hormones that impact your exercise needs, need-not-tos, and discuss some surprising ways to improve exercise benefits that target changes you want in menopause.

https://www.flippingfifty.com/which-hormones/

8/27/23

#9 Build Bone After Osteoporosis

Released during October, this episode quickly jumped to a record downloads. We care about bones. We’re confused about exercise and how to get it. This by the way is another reason to grab the What, When & Why to Exercise bundle for discussions with bone health experts like Belinda Beck and Kevin Ellis, as well as gut health expert Vincent Pedre.

https://www.flippingfifty.com/build-bone-after-osteoporosis/

10/17

#8 Midlife Changes with Intermittent Fasting Expert Gin Stephens

We’re enamored or confused by the application of intermittent fasting in our everyday lives together with exercise. This episode shares Gin’s personal journey of weight loss via intermittent fasting to bestselling author and host of multiple podcasts on the topic of intermittent fasting.

https://flippingfifty.com/midlife-changes/

10/24

#7 A Hormone Therapy Roadmap: What, When & Why

In all the interviews I’ve done with guests on both shows combined, this is hands down my favorite. The value bombs Dr Rosensweet dropped were unlike any with another hormone expert (and there have been many). For an understanding of hormones, of the what, when and why and dissection of it for YOU and your needs, this episode is a keeper.

If I could override your votes this would be my top personal favorite.

https://www.flippingfifty.com/hormone-therapy-roadmap/

11/03

#6 21 Walking Tips | Menopause Q and A Video

This I must say is also a favorite of mine! And I was thrilled to have this, and the one preceding it be so popular. We walk. We want to know how it matters or reinforce the walking we do. This one fielded 21 questions from our community about walking.

https://www.flippingfifty.com/walking-tips-2/

8/18/23

#5 Top Podcast Episode of 2023 BodyBuilding for Women Over 50 (and 60, or 70) or Life Building We love to be inspired. This episode is evidence from both sides that women support women more in midlife than ever. The guests in this group wanted to share everything about their own journey. The response from our community and from the video (found on my YouTube channel) thanking the women and 100% positive says a lot about how we want to believe if they can, I can too. (and pssst… you can)

https://www.flippingfifty.com/body-building-over-50/

3/7/23

#4 Top Podcast Episode of 2023 Your Best 2023 | A Free Workshop for Women I released this episode that is far more like a workshop Jan 1, 2023. It’s still applicable. It’s multiple hundred dollar value workshop I’ve given live to corporations, women’s groups, and coaching client audiences for 22 years. I gave it to you free. And you loved it.

https://www.flippingfifty.com/best-2023/

1/1/23

#3 Top Podcast Episode of 2023 Weight Management After 50 and Beyond Weight gain in menopause is often a challenge to figure out. Even doctors are not immune though may have tools to figure it out faster. This episode discusses the mechanisms, the default steps we take and how they may backfire so what to do instead.

https://www.flippingfifty.com/weight-management-after-50/

3/10/23

#2 Top Podcast Episode of 2023 Easy Fat Loss for Women Over 50 You’re seeing a theme here already. Fat loss and weight are top of mind for women in midlife. The uncontrollable weight coming on with no notice or reason is a source of frustration for many women in midlife. Even if it’s not weight, body composition or belly fat shift.

https://www.flippingfifty.com/easy-fat-loss/

2/14/23

#1 Top Podcast Episode of 2023 Midlife Weight Loss: Burn Body Fat, Balance Your Hormones This top podcast episode of 2023 says a lot about what our number one concern is. My friend, my hope is for 2024 we put this one to bed along with the sometimes ignored facts that drive weight loss resistance. Exercising in the way we’ve always exercised and eating in the way we’ve always eaten will result in less muscle, more fat, and potentially greater imbalance of hormones causing it all.

Spend time with me live. Take $200 off your 2024 retreat attendance by being a listener here or receive a $100 credit to the website for referring any friend to this podcast who joins the retreat using the coupon code: PODCAST This will expire 5 days after this podcast release. Don’t miss the opportunity to spend time with me… both in an immediate consult to discuss your training, the training plan leading to it, the retreat itself and the follow up group check in.

Phoenix, Colorado, and Grand Canyon Retreats are all happening and we’d love to have you join!

https://www.flippingfifty.com/midlife-weight-loss/

1/10/23

Resources:

Retreats: https://www.flippingfifty.com/product-category/coaching-programs/

5 Day Flip: https://www.flippingfifty.com/5dayflip

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You’re a pillow talk away from better sleep well rested days.

If you’re listening you care about better sleep well rested days. Whether you’re struggling with it, or grateful you don’t sleep is king and queen of recovery and all things functioning well. But this episode goes far beyond our usual layer of sleep. If this is a topic you know and don’t love… this is for you.

Be sure you visit show notes today where you can get a link to a 10% off the specific pillow designed to support your neck in ways we address today.

As a student of health, fitness, sleep and hormonal health this episode was an eye-opener. Got lower back issues, balance issues, IBS… and there’s more.. It could be the tech neck you’ve got going on. Sinus problems? Maybe it’s time to tune in.

My Guest: Dr. Peter Martone is an educator and patient care practitioner who has been focused on improving patient’s biomechanics for over 23 years during his private practice as a chiropractor. Dr. Martone always believed that the structure of your spine affects the function of the central nervous system, and this principle is the cornerstone of his practice. Dr. Martone’s core belief is that the central nervous system controls every function in the human body and in order to be able to express true health you have to keep your nervous system healthy. When your spine falls out of alignment due to poor spinal mechanics, it interferes with the proper function of the nervous system thus throwing the body out of balance. Peter’s mission is to help as many people as possible achieve optimal health function and performance so they can reach their full potential in life.

During his 23 years of practice, Dr. Martone found it harder and harder to keep his patients aligned due to the stress of the modern-day lifestyle on their posture. His patients were coming in with the same problems which inspired him to come up with an innovative solution to help correct patients’ spines while they sleep. He worked with designers and engineers to create the Neck Nest, his newest product that helps correct patients’ spines while they sleep.

Dr. Martone’s revolutionary concepts are designed to help restore proper biomechanics of the spine by adopting a neutral sleeping position, helping you sleep better, live longer and be healthier. His techniques have been featured on CBS, NBC, Fox News, Dave Asprey’s Upgraded Conference, and over 50 podcasts as he travels the world teaching people how to regain their health by mastering the art of sleeping.

Questions We Answer in This Episode: * Is there a best sleeping position? * How does sleeping position affect your spinal structure? * What 3 laws of adaptation are at play while you sleep? * How does the body adapt to support vs distraction while you sleep and how does it affect your structure? * How are midlife women potentially impacted by sleep? * How can someone evaluate if their hormonal system is affected by their sleep position? * What 3 systems are specifically affected by forward head syndrome?

Connect with Dr. Peter: On Social:

Website: https://www.Drsleepright.com

On Social:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DoctorSleepRight

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsleepright/

Resources:

10% off a neck nest (“no code” necessary):

https://www.flippingfifty.com/necknest

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Better Mattress, Better Sleep in Menopause?

https://www.flippingfifty.com/better-sleep-in-menopause/

How to Sleep Through Menopause Without Medication

https://www.flippingfifty.com/sleep-through-menopause/

Functional Feet for Your Second Half with a Strong Foundation

https://www.flippingfifty.com/functional-feet/

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If you are trying to use intermittent fasting and exercise after 40, it’s tricky. You’re choosing to apply two hormetic stressors to a body already under hormetic stress going through physiological changes. We really can separate this into three areas – which might help you understand the dilemma.

The benefits of intermittent fasting for women in midlife are potentially many:

• Improved gut health
• Autophagy
• Busting a weight loss plateau/imposing a hormetic stressor
• Reduced inflammation

Yet the midlife hormonal changes mean:

• Muscle loss(anabolic resistance)
• Bone loss
• Adrenal stress

Enter optimal exercise prescription unique to midlife and beyond:

• Support muscle preservation and actually, gain muscle
• Reverse or prevent bone losses
• Minimize adrenal stress

Community Member Question: Intermittent Fasting and Exercise Molly asked, “Debra I have been wanting to incorporate fasting into my health regime. However with your current recommendations of working out in a fed state I have found it is very difficult to get enough protein and to maintain the fasted state. I read the book Feast Fast Repeat and it goes against a lot of the information you recommend. It’s difficult for me to fast for 18 to 20 hours and feel good. Just wondering what your thoughts are on fasting?”

Start earlier. That makes it simple! You don’t have “dinner” at dinner time.. You have a last high protein meal at 3 or 4pm.

Fasting has a purpose. Getting off a plateau. You can kickstart with an 18 or 20 hour fast but there is NO reason if you’re an active person to do this regularly. Rotate.., 12, 14, 15, 18 ….

Rotating the amount of carbs you have also becomes important. Overall, lower than you’ve probably had before in your life (remember when you’d have two bagels at a sitting?) But you might toggle between 50 and 100 grams a day. If you always go long fasting, if you also restrict calories when you are in an eating window, and if you never vary carbs and always go low, you will have no metabolic flexibility. For the majority of humans that just won’t work. Your body is getting stressed by each of those things and never rewarded and replenished. Just where is that energy to do work and fun stuff going to come from?

If this was your first book? Keep reading. It’s good but there are dozens of ways to fast. They include just going lower calorie for 5 days (with higher fat and lower protein), and using bone broth or doing smoothies twice daily. There are so many ways to start. But for intermittent fasting to be the goal then starting to extend your overnight fast is the beginning. Hit 12 hours. Try 13 and 14. See how you do. But don’t always do it.

Your week should NOT ever look the same every day or you lose metabolic flexibility. If your goal is to stay active and gain muscle and bone density … tell me in a 20 hour fast how you manage to get micronutrients in.

What we all have to do is prioritize. It’s not intermittent fasting and exercise. It’s intermittent fasting OR exercise. Which do you need most right now and why?

Also relevant: do you have any emotional eating tendencies or a history of eating disorder or diet and binge? If yes, this is a slippery slope for you. (see resources)

To Decide Whether Your Priority is Intermittent Fasting or Exercise Are you inflamed? Need to reduce that and kick up the autophagy? Fasting for a short time may be your priority.

But high intensity exercise and fasting long are NOT going to coincide together well. That leaves you energy deficient. That puts you in stress. That causes a loss of muscle.

Keep in mind lots of low intensity activity also becomes high intensity as it relates to causing cortisol. Say you’re fasting and going for a significant walk a couple times a day. Not what you want to do. Be kind to yourself.

Resources:

Stronger: Tone & Define: https://www.flippingfifty.com/get-stronger-2023/

The Flipping 50 Cafe: https://www.flippingfifty.com/cafe/

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Fasting for Women Over 50 | What Is and Isn’t Fasting Q and A

https://www.flippingfifty.com/fasting-for-women/

Intermittent Fasting for Women | Health & Wellness | When Yes When No

https://www.flippingfifty.com/intermittent-fasting-for-women/

Midlife Changes with Intermittent Fasting Expert Gin Stephens https://www.flippingfifty.com/midlife-changes/

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Younger for life, how does that sound? In defense of pro-aging not anti-aging and of loving the wisdom and comfort that comes with knowing who you are and aren’t and not having time for silly petty thoughts of worry about what someone might think… this may sound a little contradictory.

But I know I like a compliment about my skin or someone saying, I can’t believe it. It’s when you suddenly don’t get that anymore that makes me say, I’ve got to get more sleep!

We’re talking about the title of a new book by my friend, Dr. Anthony Youn. To be clear, we’re talking about what’s inside and the basis of everything he does. First, he helps women avoid the knife and surgery. Second, he tries to simplify steps.

Let’s face it (see what I did there), there is a dramatic difference in the way people age. From muscle, activity, mindset…and skin. So we know it’s possible to have more youthful looking skin as we age if that’s a choice. Is it alcohol, coffee, sugar, sleep? What are the differences in our behavior – or our skin care routines- that might make me or you look younger than the rest of the class at the next school reunion?

My Guest: Known as America’s Holistic Plastic Surgeon®, Anthony Youn, M.D. F.A.C.S is a nationally-recognized, board-certified plastic surgeon. Recognized as a leader in his field, he is the author of the best-selling books “The Age Fix,” “In Stitches,” and “Playing God.” His public television special, The Age Fix with Dr. Anthony Youn, has been viewed by millions. Dr. Youn also hosts the popular podcast The Holistic Plastic Surgery Show. He is the most followed plastic surgeon on social media, with over 4.5 million subscribers on his YouTube Channel and 8 million followers on TikTok. His new book, “Younger for Life” is a complete holistic guide to turning back the clock using the process of Autojuvenation®.

Questions We Answer in This Episode: * What do you mean by the term Autojuvenation? * Can you tell me about the 5 reasons our skin ages? * What supplements do you recommend for healthy skin? * What is a simple, healthy skin care routine? * What are some new treatments people can do at home to make their skin look and feel younger? * Tell me about your 21 Day Autojuvenation Jump Start

Join the Autojuvenation Jump Start!

Connect with Dr. Anthony: On Social:

Website: http://autojuvenation.com

On Social:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dryoun Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tonyyounmd TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@doctoryoun

Resources:

New Book:Younger for Life: Feel Great and Look Your Best with the New Science of Autojuvenation – January 2, 2024

Dr Youn’s first appearance on Flipping 50TV with skin tips: https://www.flippingfifty.com/younger-looking-skin/

5 Day Flip: https://www.flippingfifty.com/5dayflip

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Behind the Scenes with America’s Holistic Beauty Doc Now! https://www.flippingfifty.com/beauty-doc/

Your Hormones and Skin in Midlife | Interview with TheSpaDr

https://www.flippingfifty.com/hormones-and-skin/

Acne in Menopause? How to Deal with It | Interview with a Skin Expert https://www.flippingfifty.com/acne-in-aging-and-menopause/

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Get ready to optimize your workout after 40. This list of tips comes from a simple round up of tips shared often on social media and that surprise me that we don’t all know this. Yet.. why should you? You haven’t eaten and slept this for 40 years! You haven’t spent every week keeping up with new science, researching the latest peer-reviewed journals and monitoring large groups of women putting to the test of N what science has already proven.

No more than I have monitored how much water a ficus tree needs and how to hire a trustworthy landscape company (which by the way, I’ve failed miserably this past year). No more than I have the slightest idea what to do when my garage light is flashing).

So… Here's a little roundup from me to you.

Optimize Your Workout After 40, 50, 60 or 70

1. Start prioritizing strength training.
2. Stop doing “cardio.”
3. Stop thinking you have to workout every day.
4. Pay more attention to your energy level, your appetite, your sleep than you do to a number on a scale at first, and maybe later.
5. Throw out any dumb scale you’re still using to weigh and invest in a Smart Scale.
6. Weigh yourself no more than once a week same time and same status and make sure you’re measuring and doing some means of physical fitness testing
7. Warm up smarter.
8. Cool down smarter.
9. Recover smarter: let your body deal with inflammation from your workout for several hours before you interfere with it by introducing cold plunge, infrared sauna, omega 3 fats or a lot of antioxidants (unless you’re “in training”)
10. Train don’t “exercise” especially for you if you’re already tired, limited on time & energy and need to make sure you’re getting quality training AND quality rest
11. Plan Intense Early, Light Late.
12. Fuel before training.
13. Fuel after training.
14. Eat a regular dose of protein at at least 3 meals a day hitting 30 gram minimum (this isn’t a maximum: it’s a start)
15. When tired, appetite is a mess, you’re overly sore or achy, dig into why… not enough recovery, poorly fueled, inflammatory diet? Don’t automatically blame exercise. But do cut back until you figure it out.
16. Make use of biohacking: infrared sauna, cold plunge, electrolytes, intermittent fasting - which can all speed recovery and improve inflammation meaning your exercise can be harder without feeling harder.
17. Stop doing random exercise.
18. Never continue to go hard all the time. Every week should have easy and hard days. Every month should have easy and hard weeks. Some entire quarters may be light (when say, you’re “in season”)
19. Stop thinking you’re burning calories and going to lose weight because of it. You’re trying to optimize hormone balance or you’ll never lose fat weight and keep it off.
20. Find joy in 90% of the exercise you do or how you do it. (Yes you may need to do some part you don’t love in order to keep actively doing the rest).
21. Don’t compare yourself right now to anyone… including younger you. You could be BETTER.

Need to Optimize Your Workout After 40?

Two options specifically designed to combine the needs of your midlife hormones, your skeletal system, muscular system, history of activity, experience level and give you results you love now and those you’ll thank yourself for later:

STRONGER Tone & Define: a perfect start, restart or reset (I’m an 8x Ironman athlete, a 42 year old strength trainer who gains muscle easily and I use this regularly during any given year)

The Flipping 50 membership: the perfect way to say yes not just to everything included in that one 12 week program, but get the next 3 12-week programs for the year plus exclusive masterclasses that others pay for, monthly challenges when you want to tune up the core or need to tend to your pelvic floor, and mini courses that give you exactly the information you need to focus on the goals you have right now. Join before rates increase in January to lock in these subscription rates.

P.S. If you’re listening and have found value in the podcast please share it with 2 or 3 friends or sisters! I would be so grateful. We need to get on the right track and put an end to the idea that midlife and older women should exercise the same as men, or mice or younger women.

While at the same time we put an end to the idea women should gain weight with age and will naturally or should have a healthy percent body fat that is higher. Really? At a time when disease is more prevalent ? That’s crazy but intelligent women often think it’s true.

Other Episodes You Might Like:

20 Reasons Strength Training Should Be Mandatory for Everyone Over 29

https://www.flippingfifty.com/strength-training/

How Long Should Strength Training Sessions for Menopause Be? | ASK the EXPERT Q and A

https://www.flippingfifty.com/strength-training-sessions-for-menopause/

TOTAL Body or SPLIT ROUTINE Strength Training in Menopause | #453

https://www.flippingfifty.com/total-body-or-split-routine-453/

Resources:

STRONGER Tone & Define: https://www.flippingfifty.com/getstronger

Flipping 50 Membership: https://www.flippingfifty.com/cafe

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How can stress be a tool for hormone balance? My guest and I dish on the topic of stress in this episode and how you can harness stress as a tool for your hormone balance.

Knowing exercise is stress and that may be what led you here, we all have to deal with stress not only of the emotional, relationship, financial type but of the physical kind that comes from sleep deprivation or exercise or skipped, skimpy or less than ideal in some other way meals.

My Guest:

Dr. Amy Day is a women’s health and hormone expert who has been at the forefront of the natural women’s health movement since 2004 when she received the 4th Naturopathic Doctor license in the state of California.

She is a sought-after speaker, the founder and clinic director of The Women’s Vitality Center in Oakland, CA, and creator of The Vitality Club an online perimenopause support community. Using a unique approach called The VITAL Method her team offers care that combines lifestyle counseling, functional lab testing, nutritional supplements and bioidentical hormones to help women 40+ feel great in and about their bodies, and stay vital throughout all stages of life.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• Tell us about you and what got you into women’s health
• Why does stress matter so much when it comes to hormone balance?
• Since stress is such a big factor in so many people's lives, what can we do about that?
• What distinguishes eustress (positive stress) from distress or negative stress?
• When is stress actually a good thing?
• What do you think are the biggest myths about bioidentical hormones for women?

Connect with Dr. Amy:

Website: www.WomensVitalityCenter.com

On Social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womensvitalitycenter/

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Turn Midlife Stress into Strength | Victim to Victorious Author

https://www.flippingfifty.com/midlife-stress/

Cortisol Hormone: Don’t let it derail your fat loss efforts

https://www.flippingfifty.com/cortisol-hormone/

Your Hormones and Skin in Midlife | Interview with TheSpaDr

https://www.flippingfifty.com/hormones-and-skin/

Resources:

https://womensvitalitycenter.com/checklist the Hormone Balancing Checklist and join the free online community the Vitality Club.

The Upside of Stress - Dr Kelly McGonical

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If you’re struggling with weight loss resistance, a chronic pain or injury or gut issues, there may be a hidden reason for belly bloat and so much more.

The answer isn’t more exercise and less food. The answer is something you may not have addressed yet in your life.

Warning: this episode talks more about energy (yours) and vibrational energetics and you may or may not be ready for it. I recently have shared several products from whole body vibration, to a skin care system supporting skin quality and collagen, to scalar energy products and found not all of our community is comfortable with them.

The first time we hear something new we often reject it. We ridicule it. It’s hocus pocus. Throughout history this has been true. Inventors, creators, innovators of things we now use daily and take for granted were looked at as insane, and ridiculed. Until, they weren’t.

It’s then human nature to finally adopt it as our own.

If this is the first time you’re hearing about vibrational energy or these concepts, your reaction may be that of skepticism or ridicule.

This is a reality for many who’ve had childhood trauma. ACEs is a term given to Adverse Childhood Experiences. The storage of emotions in tissue of the body is not new and is science. Adults with ACEs have life expectancies 20 years shorter due to diseases.

My Guest: Jodi Geline is a Health Expert known for helping people age healthier, banish bloat, IBS and other chronic health conditions for good and reclaim their health permanently. Jodi suffered for years with chronic health issues that no doctor could ever fix and with a belly so bloated she always looked 9 months pregnant. Through discovering her own methodology, she went from looking very pregnant to a flat stomach and tapped into the secrets of getting healthier as you age. Jodi figured out how to master her own health and she now teaches others to do the same.

Questions We Answer in This Episode: * Tell us why you help people with their health and your health journey * Why don’t the diet restrictions work * Explain how the body holds onto emotions * Why doesn’t just food or conventional means work for long term health

Connect with Jodi: Website:

Heal From Within Series: http://healfromwithinseries.com/dea

On Social:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GreatHealthMastery

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jodigeline

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/JodiBarnhart

Resources:

Discover The Real Root Cause of Your Belly Bloat

http://peaceofmyheart.net/quiz/

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Healing Trauma to Lose Weight: What if it’s Not Stress? https://www.flippingfifty.com/healing/

How Emotional Eating Can Be the Hidden Reason for Weight Gain https://www.flippingfifty.com/reason-for-weight-gain/

Get Unstuck: Mindset Mastery for the Life of Your Dreams | #479 https://www.flippingfifty.com/believe-kerry/

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I’m right there with you. Continuing to do the same thing and expect different results would be crazy. Continuing to do the same thing with a body that isn’t the same as a decade or two ago is insane!

So here’s what I’m doing, to help you identify where you may want to shift too!

The Basic Workout Changes I’ve Made at 59

Prioritizing strength time vs cardio

The difference between the WAY I prioritize strength. I’ve known since I began training for marathons even and more so since I began doing triathlon at 40, that strength was key to success in the event and successfully avoiding injury.

What’s different now is that it is the first place I put my energy. It’s not an extra for complimenting the activity or for supplementing it. My activity is built around optimizing:

• The readiness for the workouts
• The recovery for the workouts

Readiness:

I’m not going to go for a 3 or more hour hike the day before a key weight workout.

I definitely didn’t do a strength workout for 3 days following the Grand Canyon Rim-to-River-to-Rim hike.

There is always fuel (protein) in my system and sometimes there’s also a little caffeine right before a workout to optimize fat during the workout.

Recovery:

I am consciously taking more rest between hard workouts. Hard being there are multiple sets of low rep ranges and the purpose is true muscle fatigue. It causes more microtearing, more stress to joints. So there’s no guilt over waiting at least 72 hours, and if I miss a workout then, if I’m otherwise active, I accept that this delay is warranted and positive, not negative.

More Age-Related Post Menopause Workout Changes I’ve Made at 59

Workout I and II are not exactly the same

1. Weight load
2. Sequence of exercise
3. Type of workout in tune with recovery status

Taking Creatine Monohydrate Near My Workout

I will take it either before or after a workout, depending on the day. My workload might dictate a workout has to happen a little later, meaning I’ve got to have had a good solid meal before so it will happen in a robust smoothie bowl 2 hours before. If I’m able to pull away from some tasks and workout with just a bit of fuel prior to exercise.

Then I will have a post workout smoothie bowl after a workout about an hour. That bowl is loaded with a little fruit, healthy fat, high in protein (40+ grams) and the creatine goes in that.

Creatine questions?

Avoid Halting the Body’s Inflammatory Response

I don’t overdo inflammatory foods or activity directly after workouts.

During the pandemic so much of the discussion of health experts was about the immune-boosting effects of .. well, everything. Interestingly, it seems that a huge consumption of antioxidant-rich berries or omega 3 fats too soon post exercise blunts your body’s own immune system from response to the inflammation caused by exercise.

You don’t want to prevent some of these good changes from occurring. They will increase your resilience and immunity and ability to self-regulate. So if you’re doing sauna or ice baths, or ingesting omega 3 supplements, you might wait on some of those until later in the day.

Ability-Related Workout Changes I’ve Made at 59

Eliminated the high rep low weight workouts

There are fewer workouts with 15-20 or 25 repetitions. While they show up (say in this YouTube video for plateaus with arm definition progress https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMowolNJb1w)

And for work that might support sport performance or gait improvement, those high reps are often reserved for a single set (drop set or monster set) or for recovery week to reduce stress over all yet provide neural patterning.

I often do 5-8 repetitions during the first 3 weeks of a cycle and recovery happens on week 4. Most Strength & Conditioning Coaches observe periodization carefully for programming. It’s how they, and the athletes or clients they serve stay injury-free while at peak performance. The majority of us don’t have a sport in season/off season. Then again you do: more golf or walking in summer months, more indoor training in winter. Possibly more skiing or snowshoeing or for you maybe just a greater focus on strength training, new skills or activities.

Changing It Up

Having to do a workout with someone else and follow their program, their sequence, their thinking can be a real challenge for someone used to being in control. It is often we who need it most!

Have you seen those guys who seem to have been members at your gym forever, they’re always there, yet their bodies never change, and they don’t actually look all that good?

I don’t want to be one of those! So whether it’s writing myself a new program or swapping ideas with another fitness pro, (like recently with Helen Fritsch or Natalie Jill who both live nearby) to get out of the routine, is a good idea.

Workout Changes I’ve Made at 59 Recap:

• Make it #1 in my schedule
• Certainty I’m recovered or I change the workout
• Enhancing recovery
• Ditched high reps for no purpose

Other Episodes You Might Like:

What to know about CREATINE Supplementation Over 50

https://www.flippingfifty.com/creatine-supplementation/

20 Reasons Strength Training Should Be Mandatory for Everyone Over 29 https://www.flippingfifty.com/strength-training/

Resources:

Stronger: Tone & Define: https://www.flippingfifty.com/get-stronger-2023/

The Flipping 50 Cafe: https://www.flippingfifty.com/cafe/

FREE EXERCISE PLANNING over 40:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/exercise-planning

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If you know what really causes cancer you can make better daily choices to prevent it or prevent recurrence.

My guest today overcame her own cancer 100% naturally. She’s not the only one. Knowing we each have cancerous cells in our bodies that do or don’t express based on our epigenetics or lifestyle choices, can empower us to learn and then choose more wisely.

In the first few minutes of this episode you will learn something that will blow your mind. Think of it as what you wish you’d always known about lab testing. Especially if you’re someone who has always been “normal” but gotten sick or didn’t feel well when that’s been true.

If you’re still curious about what “functional labs” means and how it makes a difference, we answer that too.

This is one to not miss and one to share. We all know someone with cancer.

One of my favorite tools to help naturally detox - heavy metals, mold, and toxins in our everyday environment is my Sunlighten Sauna. I bought it as a tool to boost recovery and for pampering and optimal aging. The next year it was a godsend when I was exposed to mold for nearly 6 months. I have a Solo Sauna that’s easy to put anywhere, it’s moved with me twice. Sunlighten also has built-in models my family members use and love. Learn more at flippingfifty.com/sauna

My Guest:

Katrina Foe overcame her own cancer 100% naturally, and driven by her core belief that the body can heal itself, Katrina went on to become board certified in holistic nutrition trained to read functional labs. As a faculty member at Restorative Wellness Solutions, Katrina teaches other practitioners to interpret functional labs and design individualized protocols.

Katrina is also a certified Metabolic Approach to Cancer practitioner, trained and

mentored by Dr. Nasha Winters. Katrina addresses the root cause of cancer empowering clients to keep it in remission without fear of recurrence.

In her international bestseller, Nutritional Pilates, Katrina offers a framework for whole body health that highlights potential obstacles to wellbeing and provides proven strategies to sidestep chronic disease.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• What are “functional labs?”

• What do people need to know/do in order to prevent cancer?

• How can people find out WHY they had cancer?

• Is there one kind of diet ideal for people who have cancer?

• What are the most common drivers of cancer?

• What are the 10 terrains that are the root cause drivers of cancer?

• How do you know if you have a blood sugar problem?

• What health issues might be blocking your body from healing?

• How to help the body detox and reduce inflammation?

Connect with Katrina:

Website: hhttp://www.CancerFreedom.com/roadmap-opt-in

Katrina On Social:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nutritional.pilates

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katrinafoe/

Resources:

5 Day Flip: https://www.flippingfifty.com/5dayflip

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Being Healthy Enough to Beat Breast Cancer: A Trainer’s Story

https://www.flippingfifty.com/beat-breast-cancer/

Your Risk of Breast Cancer and Your Hormones https://www.flippingfifty.com/breast-cancer/

Hormones After Breast Cancer? It’s Not What You Think https://www.flippingfifty.com/hormones-2/

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Low libido, sex dysfunction, stress, insomnia, body confidence… we unpack a lot in this episode. Two guests today both specializing in women’s health with specific attention to libido and pelvic floor health show up for this podcast and bring it.

Sex dysfunction is no laughing matter for couples who used to enjoy each other and now are finding it’s not the same. Intimacy is a powerful part of health and also anti-aging as you’ll hear my experts talk about.

Stay til the end if you want a very juicy Q and A.

My Guests:

Dr. Diane Mueller is the founder of My Libido Doc, an online community dedicated to helping women reclaim their desire. My Libido Doc provides education, community and health care services for women.

Dr. Betsy A.B. Greenleaf, DO, FACOOG (Distinguished), FACOG, FPMRS, FAAOPM, MBA. Premier women’s health expert bringing pelvic peace, hormone harmony, sexy sizzle and crazy confidence to busy women. Dr. Betsy is a best-selling author, award winning speaker, entrepreneur, inventor, and business leader specializing in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery for over 20 years.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• What are the root causes of low libido?
• How is libido related to confidence?
• Why can menopause can be the best sex of your life?
• How is libido tied to aging? Is there any direct correlation?
• Anal sex….safe? Oral sex… safe? Condoms still the best protection? We’re going to still need them in the nursing home?

Connect with Dr. Diane Mueller and Dr.Betsy Greenleaf :

https://www.flippingfifty.com/mylibido

On Social:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/mylibidodoc

Youtube: youtube.com/@mylibidodoc

Podcast: mylibidodoc.com/podcasts

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Sex and Sports for Women Over 40

https://www.flippingfifty.com/sex-and-sports/

How to Make (Sex and) Exercise More Effective: Pelvic Floor

https://www.flippingfifty.com/pelvic-floor-tips/

You Ask Libido and Hormone Balance Qs: Dr John Gray Answers

https://www.flippingfifty.com/libido-and-hormone-balance/

Resources:

Free Ebook: 5 steps to revive your love life: https://mylibidodoc.com/revive-your-love-life/

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If you’ve looked in the mirror lately and you see something that makes you wonder about surgery or botox and that is just not you, but you’d love a natural facelift with no negative side effects, this is for you.

First though, I’m a low maintenance girl. I am also a skeptic. Look, I get access to some truly amazing products and I’ve shared my favorites with you. Today, though I share something that this 59- almost 60yr old face is loving.

I started using this 5-6 weeks ago and have seen (and felt amazing results). I know that we are ALL looking for better products and healthier aging and there is no substitute for the real thing.

My wish is just a clean makeup-free face that I feel good about. I do wear makeup at times but I don’t want to have to wear makeup to cover up my face.

I think you’ll like this!

My Guest:

Cathy Goldstein, an Acupuncture Physician, founded Multiple Integrative Health Clinics. She has been a columnist for New Vision Magazine and Philadelphia Magazine. Guest lecturer at Jefferson University Medical School. She is a frequent speaker for symposiums and health summits.

Cathy is considered a subject matter expert in BioMedicine through Eastern Medicine. She has been an educational instructor nationally and internationally.

Cathy has been practicing and teaching alternative medicine for more than 34 years (since 1988). She specializes in Quantum Energy Medicine technology and Body-Mind-Neuro-Psychology. She has trained with world-renowned practitioners and healers and holds advanced anatomy, physiology, and skin science studies.

Cathy’s pursuit of functional health stems from her health challenges and frustrations with Western Medicine. She was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in her 20’s. After multiple hospitalizations and complications, she was still suffering from illness. Cathy began her life path for healing.

“I am truly grateful for my experience. I refused to have an illness define me. Through determination, relentless studies, and trial and error, I have been fortunate to enjoy a healthy life with no signs of Crohn’s disease for over 30 years. My commitment is to help and educate patients and colleagues on alternative healthcare and root functional health.”

This natural facelift is going to sound too good to be true, but it is everything you want it to be!

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• What is so different about this product?
• Tell us about energy medicine and the liquid nervous system
• I’m enamored with Power Plate, fell in love with Whole Tones years ago, so explain to listeners how these are related and How can vibrational energy restore the fountain of youth
• How is Tru Energy different?
• I know my own feelings about this… and they’ve surprised even the skeptic in me (and it isn’t that I don’t want it to work but honestly… that it was this simple.. I love) tell me about other results of raving fans.
• How soon do people see results with this 7-minute natural facelift? Do they continue to improve over more time?

Connect with Cathy:

Try It Yourself! I love this 5-part System! https://www.flippingfifty.com/truenergy

Don't just take my word for it, though. Check out this video demo and see for yourself how amazing this product is:

On Social:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/truenergyskincare/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truenergyskincare/

Resources:

7 Minute Natural Facelift: https://www.flippingfifty.com/truenergy

Power Plate: https://www.flippingfifty.com/powerplate

Whole Tones: https://www.flippingfifty.com/wholetones

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Your Hormones and Skin in Midlife | Interview with TheSpaDr

https://www.flippingfifty.com/hormones-and-skin/

Skincare Tips from the Skin Whisperer

https://www.flippingfifty.com/skincare-tips/

How to Redefine Aging | Mindset Shifts with Natalie Jill

https://www.flippingfifty.com/redefine-aging/

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Many women want to lose weight. To lose weight for active women over 40, they also don’t want performance to deteriorate. There are a few things to consider. First, it’s not the eat less, exercise more dogma that will get you what you really want.

Most women want energy, tone and definition, and strength for now and later. Better blood sugar control that supports reductions in belly fat and overall insulin sensitivity.

Am I right?

But eating less and exercising more - if successful at all during menopause and post - will generally cause the opposite. Less energy, worse mood, poor sleep, less muscle tone, and spirals down from there with long term ramifications to health.

Being active, whether sports performance level or just athletic active, requires energy. There is still a way to juggle goals of maintaining or improving performance while still dropping a few pounds of extra cushioning.

Eating to Lose Weight Active Over 40

Close to the beginning and/or after completion of exercise, peri- and postmenopausal athletes should aim for a bolus of high EAA-containing (~10 g) intact protein sources or supplements to overcome anabolic resistance.

Anabolic resistance is the status of muscle loss being more likely than muscle gain and it requires more intense exercise stimulus (strength training), quality protein stimulus, and recovery to overcome it.

An ACSM review of literature stated 20 g protein pre-exercise (and 40 after) for older adults to boost Muscle Protein Synthesis similar to that of a 20 yr old when workout conditions were comparable.

Time pre-exercise fuel for optimal digestion. Within 30 minutes of a workout the easier to digest fuel must be. It’s not only a comfort factor, but also the diverted energy for digestion competing with the need for blood flow to deliver oxygen to working muscles. Both digestion and performance will suffer. A “simple shake” with protein powder and unsweetened almond milk or water may be the easy way to go.

If you want carbs, add a half a banana to the shake or have half cup oatmeal with protein powder.

Pre-workout, avoid fiber and fat. A mixed meal eaten pre-workout should allow at least 2 ½ - 3 hours to be fully digested. Some will feel most comfortable if this is longer than that (4 hours) if it’s following recommendations for high fiber, high protein and high fat.

Given recommendations range from at least 10 to 20 grams of protein pre-workout, below are some examples of protein sources. The more challenged you are with gaining lean muscle (and or are attempting to lose weight while retaining muscle) the higher end of the range you want to be.

Lose Weight for Active Women: Women’s Guide to Exercise Nutrition

High EAA examples of 10 g protein:

Small half a simple shake including protein powder and unsweetened almond milk

Dairy (which does by the way include whey protein) generally pre-exercise wouldn’t be recommended due to its influence in mucus production, even if you tolerate which a lot of women don’t later in life (but Greek yogurt or cottage cheese are sources of protein- again I don’t recommend pre-exercise).

· 2 eggs equal 12 grams of protein (if you tolerate eggs)

· ½ cup steel cut oats with protein stirred in

· Quinoa

Choices vary as to whether you want carbohydrate prior or not to avoid early fatigue during exercise sessions.

Overcoming Anabolic Resistance:

A study in the European Journal of Sports Science found higher protein intakes (2-3 times the protein Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of 0.8 g/kg/d) during periods of energy restriction can enhance fat-free mass (FFM) preservation, particularly when combined with exercise.

Athletes [and let’s include, the very active] aiming to reduce fat mass and preserve FFM should consume protein intakes in the range of ∼1.8-2.7 g kg(-1) d(-1) (or ∼2.3-3.1 g kg(-1) FFM) in combination with a moderate energy deficit (-500 kcal) and the performance of some form of resistance exercise.

What does that look like for you?

Say you weigh 130lbs. Rounding Kgs up to 60.

Based on body weight: 162 g protein

Using the FFM example:

Say you weigh 130lbs and are 25% body fat. Subtracting the fat weight in lbs (32.5) from bodyweight leaves 97.5 Fat Free Mass.

224 g

Using the high range number for each of body weight and FFM-based protein recommendations, the daily protein recommendation then would be 162 – 224 grams of protein daily. That is with the goal of losing weight while resistance training with a moderate calorie deficit.

Taking a median number of 180 g protein with each gram of protein offering 4 kcals means you’d be taking in 720 kcals/day from protein.

Fat = 7 kcals, Carb = 4 kcals.

Prepare to be confused.

Health Organizations Weigh in (Not necessarily on losing weight)

• Prestigious Organizations Offer These Calculations for a 130lb active woman:
• American Dietetic Association (ADA): at least 59 - 106 grams/day.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): 48 - 169 grams/day (10-35% of daily caloric intake).
• World Health Organization safe lower limit: 49 grams/day.

Keep in mind these recommendations vary in goal. The least amount of protein to avoid death or illness is not the same to thrive and add lean muscle, strength and energy. We have a gap.

So, it is of course confusing. We also have emotional relationships to food and beliefs we’ve held for a long time. Those too are likely factors in your reaction to this episode. You’re nodding or shaking. Even though the science is the basis of the content, we don’t as humans adopt it readily.

Say You Don’t Want to Lose Weight You Want to Maintain

Daily protein intake should fall within the mid- to upper ranges of current sport nutrition guidelines (1.4-2.2 g·kg-1·day-1) for women at all stages of menstrual function (pre-, peri-, post-menopausal, and contraceptive users) with protein doses evenly distributed, every 3-4 h, across the day. Eumenorrheic athletes in the luteal phase and peri/post-menopausal athletes, regardless of sport, should aim for the upper end of the range.

Let’s do the math.

130lb woman

Convert to kg: 59

129 g protein

150lb woman

Convert to kg: 68

149 g protein

This is the equivalent of 1 g protein per lb of body weight. You can keep it easy by remembering that is your daily AND that a “dose” of protein needs to be at least 30gm at a meal. However, if you go higher as suggested for your first meal of the day, the next meal may not need to be as high if you eat within 3-4 hours to keep that muscle protein synthesis up. The alternative is muscle protein breakdown. You’re in one or the other. There’s really not a neutral.

To Lose Weight for Active Women, Examples of a day of high protein meals:

Pre-Workout:

• 20 gm protein in a simple shake pre-workout
• Or minimally, 12 gm protein in two eggs pre-workout

Meal Examples:

• 45g protein in a post- workout smoothie
• 51g Salmon (35) + quinoa (6) + Greek-style yogurt (10) with berries
• 43g Taco Salad with ground Bison (35) + Black beans (8)
• 46g 6 large Sauteed Scallops (29) + Three-bean salad (8) + Black Bean Brownie (9)

I’m not an advocate of calorie counting. However, a snapshot of the number of calories you take in can be helpful. Many women are too far below what they need, AND too low in protein, AND not lifting weights with adequate intensity or sleeping. Those will add up to muscle loss. You may temporarily think you’re successful at the weight loss game, but unless you mitigate it, muscle loss will result in you feeling weaker, less energetic and having a slower metabolism

Weight loss with an on-target activity plan means having a slight caloric deficit with an increased amount of protein from a maintenance phase. Other research I’ve shared suggests increasing protein by 10-15% above maintenance along with a reasonable deficit if weight loss is needed.

So, let’s challenge that.

Do you need weight loss? Or do you need to gain lean muscle? Get very clear. You may need both but someone listening needs to hear this: you don’t need weight loss; you need fat loss. That will come with an increase in lean muscle and a decrease in inflammation.

Additionally, to Lose Weight While Active Over 40

Creatine supplementation of 3 to 5 g per day is recommended for the mechanistic support of creatine supplementation with regard to muscle protein kinetics, growth factors, satellite cells, myogenic transcription factors, glycogen and calcium regulation, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Postmenopausal females benefit from bone health, mental health, and skeletal muscle size and function when consuming higher (5g) doses of creatine.

References:

Murphy CH, Hector AJ, Phillips SM. Considerations for protein intake in managing weight loss in athletes. Eur J Sport Sci. 2015;15(1):21-8. doi: 10.1080/17461391.2014.936325. Epub 2014 Jul 11. PMID: 25014731.

Hector AJ, Phillips SM. Protein Recommendations for Weight Loss in Elite Athletes: A Focus on Body Composition and Performance. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2018 Mar 1;28(2):170-177. doi: 10.1123/ijsnem.2017-0273. Epub 2018 Feb 19. PMID: 29182451.

Sims ST, Kerksick CM, Smith-Ryan AE, Janse de Jonge XAK, Hirsch KR, Arent SM, Hewlings SJ, Kleiner SM, Bustillo E, Tartar JL, Starratt VG, Kreider RB, Greenwalt C, Rentería LI, Ormsbee MJ, VanDusseldorp TA, Campbell BI, Kalman DS, Antonio J. International society of sports nutrition position stand: nutritional concerns of the female athlete. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2023 Dec;20(1):2204066. doi: 10.1080/15502783.2023.2204066.

Science:

PMID: 37221858; PMCID: PMC10210857.

Resources:

5 Day Flip: https://www.flippingfifty.com/5dayflip

Flipping 50 Cafe Membership: https://www.flippingfifty.com/cafe/

Flipping 50 Protein: https://www.flippingfifty.com/store/protein-powders/paleo-protein-powder-vanilla/

Other Episodes You Might Like:

How Much Collagen Counts Toward Protein Needs? https://www.flippingfifty.com/how-much-collagen/

Protein Supplements for Muscle Building: What, When & Why to Exercise for Women 40+ https://www.flippingfifty.com/protein-supplements-for-muscle-building/

Midlife Weight Loss: Burn Body Fat, Balance Your Hormones https://www.flippingfifty.com/midlife-weight-loss/

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Fair warning: this 5 books I loved in 2023 episode will read a little like a book review. It’s a great gift guide but perhaps the biggest take-away for us all is in the review of titles. I won’t make you wait. I’m going to share them all in the beginning. The titles are like trends on skinny jeans or cropped tops and high-waisted tights. I didn’t love either of those. With these I’m less judgmental but certainly curious.

This says a lot about what sells today. Because of course, don’t judge a book by it’s cover… but we do. The image, the title, the subtitle all matter a great deal. An agent, a publisher and editors all rely on data about sales to determine what will sell.

So these 5 titles….

5 Books I Loved in 2023 (or coming soon!)

Younger for Life -Dr Anthony Youn

The subtitle of this book is Feel Great and Look Your Best with the Science of Autorejuvenation. You’ll hear more on the book from the author himself in an episode titled Younger for Life with America’s Holistic Plastic Surgeon. But truly if you’re on TikTok, this is also a TikTok, YouTube and Instagram favorite plastic surgeon.

He's a funny, and clearly knowledgeable surgeon whose mission is to turn on the power of your own body instead of turning to the knife.

This one is coming out just after the New Year. We’ll link to it and share a special 21-day challenge we can only hint about now too! Pre-orders for that book will come soon so watch for it!

Forever Strong -Dr Gabrielle Lyon

We will of course link to previous episodes with Dr Gabrielle. She worked with Dr Donald Layman who, if you are into the science of protein for longevity and preserving muscle with weight loss, appears as an author of many of the studies since the late 90s.

Dr Lyon has made the information more mainstream and positively opened the subject of obesity again in a new way. It's not a fat problem, it’s a muscle problem.

Forever Strong came out earlier this fall and it’s one for everyone in your family. The science can only fill so much of a book. The rest of the content is recipes supporting one means of staying strong, eating protein. You’ll find descriptions of exercise protocols as well as the long list of references used throughout the book.

Young Forever -Mark Hyman

Do you see a theme here yet? And we’re not done!

This book explores the biological hallmarks of aging, their causes, and their consequences—then shows us how to overcome them with simple dietary, lifestyle, and emerging longevity strategies. You’ll learn:

• How to turn on your body’s key longevity switches
• How to reduce inflammation and support the health of your immune system
• How to exercise, sleep, and de-stress for healthy aging
• How to eat your way to a long life, featuring Dr. Hyman’s Pegan Diet
• Which supplements are right for you
• Where the research on aging is headed

Mark Hyman is 63.

Spoiler Alert: 5 Books I Loved in 2023 Reveal What We Want

Younger You -Dr Kara Fitzgerald

If you’re new to the power of your epigenetics, that is your daily habits, to either accelerate or decelerate, in fact reverse age, then this is for you.

We all have cancer cells within us. We don’t all get cancer.

Some of us have genetics that predispose us to obesity. I do. But I’m not obese. Why ? Is it exercise? Nutrition? What specifically about your DNA and your habits could change things for you?

Dr. Fitzgerald shares the diet and lifestyle plan that shows you how to influence your epigenetics for a younger you. In Younger You you’ll learn:

• It’s not your genetics that determines your age and level of health, it’s your epigenetics
• How DNA methylation powerfully influences your epigenetic expression
• The foods and lifestyle choices that most affect DNA methylation
• Simple swaps to your daily routines that will add years to your life
• The full eating and lifestyle program, with recipes and meal plans, to reduce your bio age and increase vitality
• How to take care of your epigenetic expression at every life stage, from infancy through midlife and your later decades

Outlive - Peter Attia

This book is what Dr Attia describes as the opposite of biohacking but one has to wonder. Isn’t biohacking based on science (we’ll link to a recent episode where I discuss biohacking you probably are doing even if you don’t know it)?

There are a lot of things inside this book I love top but of course the top :

• Why exercise is the most potent pro-longevity “drug”—and how to begin training for the “Centenarian Decathlon.”

Then there is:

• Why you should forget about diets, and focus instead on nutritional biochemistry, using technology and data to personalize your eating pattern.

• Why striving for physical health and longevity, but ignoring emotional health, could be the ultimate curse of all.

Bottom line on the titles of these health books I loved in 2023 (and 2024)...

We are clearly obsessed with anti-aging. Even if the authors are not, the words “young” and “younger” are high volume search words. Enough so that agents and publishers agree they will sell. So whether it’s ageist or not, we collectively seem to want it. Applause to Dr Lyons and Dr Peter Attia for busting barriers of age with choice of works Forever Strong and Outlive.

One book not mentioned here but on my nightstand right now is, Finding Me, by Viola Davis. She’s a masterful storyteller and I’m only about a third of the way through but have newfound respect for each of the roles she’s played.

Other Episodes You Might Like:

What Is BioHacking

https://www.flippingfifty.com/what-is-biohacking/

Your Protein Needs, Your Optimal Body Composition

https://www.flippingfifty.com/your-protein/

Behind the Scenes with America's Holistic Beauty Doc Now!

https://www.flippingfifty.com/beauty-doc/

Resources:

Stronger: https://www.flippingfifty.com/get-stronger-2023/

Amazon Store: https://www.amazon.com/shop/flipping50

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Before I go further you should know, I’ve despised the word “hacking” for a long time. For me it seemed like code for shortcut, cheat, and quick fix. And a decade ago I think that was true. But I know better and the biohacking we’re talking about here is very different. It’s not cheating the system but rather getting a bonus. If you lift weights and can’t lift heavy, the use of a whole body vibration tool may give you a bonus benefit of bone density you can’t get otherwise. If you can lift heavy, I for one am using it for the icing on the cake it can be.

Biohacking is a term used to describe various tips and tricks for enhancing the body’s ability to function at peak performance—and maybe even extend one’s lifespan. But it’s not just aging, it’s health. How to trick your body into, or back into its natural state of optimal health. You were born with it.

It’s science-based and it’s individual.

Though if you read this line from Peter Attia’s book, you might think bio-hacking is psuedoscience at best:

This is not “biohacking,” it’s science: a well-founded strategic and tactical approach to extending lifespan while also improving our physical, cognitive, and emotional health.

Dave Asprey’s description in an article in Men’s Health:

“...the use of science, biology, and self-experimentation to take control of and upgrade your body, your mind and your life…”

What Qualifies as Biohacking [You Might Already be Doing]

While certain modalities of biohacking may seem extreme, forms like meditation and intermittent fasting are fairly commonplace and time tested, with extensive research supporting their use. What’s new, however, is the movement behind this overall quest for better biological function no matter how old (or young you are).

Not an all-inclusive list but things like:

• Lumen
• CGM monitors
• Infrared Saunas
• Ice Baths

…are making their way into more homes for regular use. Are these methods of bio-hacking or simply application of new science allowing us to see what used to be invisible? I think we have to concede that in most if not many cases biohacking is science… and much like menopause fitness, there’s only so much of it out there. We’re forced to combine exercise physiology + menopause physiology where there are gaps and clear results a woman doesn’t feel good or muscle and bone losses are occurring in spite of following guidelines and position statements, for upgraded exercise prescriptions

[exactly why Flipping50 was born 10 years ago and exists today].

Many, maybe you listener, doubt the accuracy of trackers. Isn’t it interesting? When we don’t stop using them despite learning that seed oils and processed foods contribute to poor health but continue to buy and eat them, not only not questioning the science, but ignoring it…

We humans are complicated at best.

We question if we should use PowerPlate or if a Smart Scale tells us the correct body composition, failing to see that benefits still outweigh accuracy.

Asking, What is BioHacking Only Skims the Surface!

There is biohacking of different types.

• Lifestyle - nutrition, exercise, meditation
• Biology Shifts - Supplements
• Biologics - non-medical IV therapies and medical Stem Cell injections
• Technology - CGMs, wearable tracking devices for HRV

What is Age-Related Biohacking?

Age-related biohacking examples include:

• Red light therapy
• Stem cell therapy
• Cryotherapy
• The consumption of anti-aging and mitochondrial support supplements like those containing coenzyme Q10, polyphenols, L-carnitine and Urolithin A

What is Sleep Biohacking?

• Sleep trackers
• Blue light blocking
• Magnesium
• Melatonin
• Meditation

For support with sleep, grab my Sleep Yourself Skinny eguide.

What is Nutrition Biohacking?

• Intermittent fasting
• Pre and Probiotics
• Understanding and avoiding inflammatory foods

If you’re not familiar with an elimination diet that helps you personally test foods, learn more here.

What is Physical Health Biohacking ?

A recent study in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport found participating in a single high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout can also boost brain neuroplasticity (the brain’s ability to rewire or modify its neural connections) within 20 minutes of the session. So it’s not just physical or fat burning, it’s your brain benefitting. There’s also as I’ve shared a feeling of mastery and accomplishment that many women report about HIIT.

Other ways to support Physical biohacking:

• Cold plunging practices and the use of ice baths (my newest hack)
• The use of heat therapy and saunas
• The use of smartwatches and other training feedback tools
• Whole body vibration therapy
• Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields (PEMFs) therapy
• Red light therapy (for healing and recovery)
• The consumption of athletic supplements like creatine and amino acids
• The consumption of electrolytes and energy drinks

What is Brain Biohacking?

• Meditation
• Regular exercise
• Brain games
• Supplements like omega 3s

References:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31759829/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9518606/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26180741/

Resources:

My CGM: https://www.flippingfifty.com/myglucose

My Sauna: https://www.flippingfifty.com/sauna

My Whole Body Vibration: Use Flipping50 for 20% off https://www.flippingfifty.com/powerplate

My Urolithin A: https://www.flippingfifty.com/mitopure

My Amino Acids: https://www.flippingfifty.com/resources/

My Mediation: https://www.flippingfifty.com/ jdmeditation

My Coffee: save 10% with Flipping50 https://www.flippingfifty.com/givedanger

My Tru Energy Skin Care System: https://www.flippingfifty.com/truenergy

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Whole Body Vibration for Bone Density

https://www.flippingfifty.com/whole-body-vibration/

Electrolytes for Hydration: Beyond Water, Heat, and Exercise

https://www.flippingfifty.com/electrolytes-for-hydration/

12 Reasons to Use Infrared Sauna | Why I Love Mine

https://www.flippingfifty.com/reasons-to-use-infrared-sauna/

Books I love from 2023 and for 2024: 11/24/23 release date!

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If you’ve experienced this… I want you to to know the #1 reason you’re not getting results from my 40 years experience, and most of all from the most recent comments, DMs and group conversations we have.

Said 100% with respect to us all… but we have failed to commit to any one. While we’re complaining about the abundance of overwhelming and often conflicting information, we fail to realize it’s us who continues to let it in.

Not saying that we should stop trying to learn or gain knowledge. You know I share summits with you from time to time. I share experts with you right here regularly who challenge your thinking. And I hosted a summit myself - one of the primary goals of that was to clarify for you the information and to probe guests for clarity wherever I sensed there could be confusion for you.

But if we keep letting ourselves stay stuck collecting data, we’re procrastinating on changing anything.

You ARE choosing. You’re choosing to stay stuck. You won’t “accidentally” find your best path to health. You’ll need to get a bit organized and choose what to take action on now, what you might take action on later, and what you’re just throwing out because you’ve tried it, tested it and you know it doesn’t work for you.

This episode is to help you get out of your own way.

You’re Not Getting Fitness Results? Keep Reading

The only way I can do this episode is because I live it too. We can in any area of our lives sit in the middle of the room staring at the piles of things to be organized and picked up, put away, given away … and not know where to start and so never do. That, I believe may be hoarding.

In 2013 I quit. I quit my job on January 16. I was going to start paying college tuition in August. I had to put my house for sale in November. In tears in early December instead of putting up Christmas decorations I was taking down every picture carefully placed and planned from my walls because the realtor said a new buyer needs to be able to imagine their things on the wall.

For the entire first year of that new start I didn’t have a clear step-by-step. Very few had done this before, few if any had created an online fitness site exclusively for women in menopause without any technical background or knowledge in hiring someone I could trust who had one.

It wasn’t until year two, when I got a vision of what steps mattered most, what could wait and be tested later, that I started to be able to pay my own bills again instead of borrowing off of the sale of my home.

If you aren’t at a “it has to work” place, you may not commit. I was all in. There was no net. If you’ve had cancer, if you’ve had a virus so scary it made you wonder… then you know. You commit. You do everything and focus on just the important things and other things fall off the radar.

You may need to do this for yourself. Take this podcast as your wake-up call. Trust me… you don’t want to be pawning jewelry, or selling homes, asking relatives for a loan… or having to choose chemo or not… but we often do wait for a diagnosis. Decide right now if you will or you won’t.

If you think it’s inconvenient to eat differently than others in your house, if you think it’s just too hard not to have a drink or 3 every night, and you’re committed to that way of thinking, this may not be your episode. I may not be your girl.

A stale, overused and very appropriate on-point term: choose your hard.

The Number #1 Reason You’re Not Getting Fitness Results…

You are not committing to one thing consistently for long enough to test it and only it.

It’s not all your fault. You hear high protein is necessary to build muscle for successful active aging.

You learn that the quality of essential amino acids in animal protein is higher per calorie than that of plant protein.

You hear that fasting is good for longevity due to autophagy.

Yet, you’ve heard the term low energy availability and identify with the concept of slowing down your metabolism because by eating less you will cause the body to breakdown muscle (especially while exercising more) and signal the body to burn less energy.

Often the #1 reason you're not getting fitness results is because you’re not trying one thing at a time and committing to it.

The problem? Isn’t really an abundance of information. It’s feeling a sense of urgency that really isn’t there. Yes, it’s important you make progress this YEAR, but it doesn’t have to today. You can choose. Test it. And you can choose again.

The Reason you’re not getting fitness results:

You are honing in on ONE thing that you hear, not necessarily the most important thing, and doing it at the omission of some important details.

For instance, all the experts whether they favor plant-based protein earlier in life

Agree that at 60 or 65 high quality animal protein is a must for muscle synthesis to avoid sarcopenia resulting in frailty and falls.

Experts who were not long ago suggesting fasted exercise who now are more in tune with maintaining and gaining lean muscle mass and bone density are all about fed exercise.

Yet, they do observe and recommend fasting. But what length? Should you do a 24 hour fast? Should you do 20 ? Even 18? How about we try 12-14 regularly first and stop snacking between meals and instead actually have meals.

Stop skipping, skimping or eating a “protein bar” pretending it is full of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals the way a plate of food or even a smoothie will all the goodness of greens and healthy fats and light fruits and fiber.

What to Do When You’re Not Getting Results

If you’re stuck between animal or plant protein… How much muscle do you have? Compare that to last year and the year before that. Don’t have those measures? Get them started now. Because if you’re nearly 60 like me, you’re knocking on the door of muscle losses that accelerate to 1-2% a year unless we’re doing the right things to avoid it.

If you don’t know for sure what the right things are, write down your choices. Because you sure DO know what is confusing and conflicting. Let’s just agree that we have to stop complaining about being confused. We have to start taking responsibility for the information, for making choices, taking action and then being okay with making a new choice if it doesn’t work.

But no one is going to get “data” from an experiment of starting one thing and then not really doing it.

The worst possible answer to a question, “How did it go with the magnesium this week?” or “What happened when you introduced dairy this week?” is… well it worked okay when I remembered or I had it a couple times but didn’t notice anything.

These are NOT following the process for adding magnesium or re-introducing dairy, respectively.

When a client says, “I don’t feel any better this week and I haven’t lost weight” and then in reflection, 50% of the time she committed to what we agreed on and the rest of the time didn’t, we can’t expect to get results.

What we have is data:

• That it isn’t urgent or important enough to matter
• She isn’t committed to the changes she agreed to

Take Action If You’re Not Getting Fitness Results

What I suggest is that you choose:

• Choose ONE thing to take action on.
• Plot your plan ALL the way through.
• Choose the next thing you might choose after you see this one through.
• Before you start anything MEASURE: Weight. Body fat %, and girth measurements. Record your subjective ratings of sleep, energy, libido, brain clarity, digestion.

Take 3-4 weeks at least to commit. Spend a little time deciding how you might have to tweak this experiment. Will you need to start smaller than your original goal? Will you be able to begin right away?

July 4 started walking 30 minutes a day. I might also strength training or do interval training. But I was walking before 8am every day. Some days I had to do it later because I missed it earlier. But I kept that promise. Some days I hiked and it was a longer walk.

A couple days it was chilly and rainy and I did indoor “walking.” Other days still I have had a hard time getting in a solid 30 but got 10 minutes in three times. But I stuck with it. What happened after 90 days? I’m hooked as I have been 3 other times in my life, body composition improved. Tone and definition and mood improved.

You can always move on. Choose the next. But do it.. Documenting. Do what you said you’d do consistently. Make sequential changes or tweaks if required. (With introduction of magnesium or with Betaine HCL, for instance). Don’t just throw it out completely. Is it timing? Have you tried shorter instead of longer, tried it in the morning instead of at night?

No idea? Get a coach. Have an assessment. I can help you derive a plan if you’re committed to changing once you’ve got one. Got this?

Please let us know if this was valuable! AND share it! If it’s been helpful for you it will be for another woman too.

Resources:

Ultimate Assessment https://www.flippingfifty.com/store/coaching-programs/private-coaching-90-min/

Coming up! Blissmas (12 days of light exercise for holiday strategies without the stress) https://www.flippingfifty.com/blissmas

Flipping 50’s Annual Holiday 2023 Gift Guide https://www.flippingfifty.com/goodgiftsguide

Other Episodes You Might Like:

How to Love Your Midlife Body More | Stop Self-Sabotage https://www.flippingfifty.com/midlife-body/

How to Stop Self Sabotage, Stay Motivated, and Get Results: Episode 2 https://www.flippingfifty.com/how-to-stop-self-sabotage-stay-motivated-and-get-results-episode-2/

Why It’s So Hard to Change Health Habits (and What to Do) https://www.flippingfifty.com/change-health-habits/

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Answers to Your CGM Questions: For Nondiabetics

Got questions about CGM use? We’ve got answers to your CGM questions in this episode. My guest wrote the book and we have a tip-rich discussion about how you can benefit from CGMs and change your life. And if not you, potentially this will be of value for someone you influence.

My favorite CGM: https://www.flippingfifty.com/myglucose

My Guest:

Paul Kolodzik, MD is board-certified by both the American Board of Preventive Medicine and the American Board of Emergency Physicians. In a thirty-year emergency room career, he has cared for many patients in crises and has witnessed firsthand the failures of mainstream diets and the medical system overall, which prioritizes medications and surgery over diet and lifestyle changes to prevent and reverse disease. In his metabolic health practice Dr. Kolodzik uses the technology of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), previously used only by diabetics, to help his patients achieve weight loss and improved health.

In his recently published book, The Continuous Glucose Monitoring Revolution, Dr. Kolodzik shares how he has helped thousands of patients lose weight, and prevent and reverse metabolic diseases such as hypertension, high cholesterol, prediabetes, GERD, sleep apnea, fatty liver disease and others using CGM. In this book, he presents a comprehensive program for metabolic health success using CGMs.

Dr. Kolodzik graduated from the University of Notre Dame and completed medical school and residency at Wright State University where he served as chief resident. He is a founding member of the Society of Metabolic Health Practitioners.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• Why should a nondiabetic consider using a CGM to improve health.
• How do CGMs work? How are they applied? How accurate are they?
• How are they used "diagnostically". Is there there other data that can help assess level of insulin resistance?
• How are CGMS used "therapeutically" to guide diet?
• What dietary approaches work best with a CGM?
• What does a comprehensive CGM program look like?
• Why did you write a book about CGM use for nondiabetics. How is the book useful for first-time CGM users?

Did we cover all the answers to your CGM questions? If not, please reach out. And thank you in advance for sharing our podcast with a friend!

Connect with Dr. Paul :

Website: https://www.metabolicmds.com/

On Social:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/metabolicmd/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulkolodzik/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/metabolicmds/?hl=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/drkolomd

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.kolo.md?lang=en

Resources:

Dr. Paul’s Book: https://a.co/d/8O13wje

Debra’s Favorite CGM: https://www.flippingfifty.com/myglucose

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Weight Management After 50 and Beyond https://www.flippingfifty.com/weight-management-after-50/

How a Continuous Glucose Monitor Could Help Menopause Weight Loss #514 https://www.flippingfifty.com/glucose-monitor/

Your Diabetes Risk: You’re In Control | Midlife Women

https://www.flippingfifty.com/diabetes-risk/

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Let’s get into the science today. These 5 menopause workout tips stem from recent research featuring women in menopause and effects of menopause. If this is you, was you or will be you… I’m so glad you’re here!

No idea where to start? Start with this: https://www.flippingfifty.com/5dayflip

#1 Menopause Workout Tips: ESTROGEN LOSS DIRECTLY CORRELATES TO MUSCLE PROTEIN SYNTHESIS LOSS Because insufficient estrogen levels lead to loss of muscle protein synthesis, during menopause transition when this is the most significant, there needs to be an increased external stimulus (lifting weights) and protein compared to before menopause transition.

Solution: Lifting heavier and or with more volume (not frequency) than PRE menopause and consuming a regular dose of high quality protein throughout the day: both proven to boost muscle protein synthesis.

Science: Gerontology, 2021

#2 Menopause Workout Tips: The Greatest Loss of Lean Muscle Tissue Occurs... ... during the phase from Early Perimenopause to Late Perimenopause (27%) percent. This is the greatest opportunity to PREVENT losses that follow in greater significants too.

Though early and late postmenopause phases also reflect signficantly high muscle loss, they could be mitigated by positively influencing what occurs for most women between 40 and 50. (Understand every woman's menopause journey is unique)

If you didn't, start. If you're in perimenopause (know it or not in your 40s) begin this muscle protein synthesis boosting NOW.

Science: Iran Journal of Public Health, 2021

#3 Menopause Workout TIps: Greater Volume During a Session vs Greater Volume in Frequency ...Provides Greater muscle mass, strength, and endurance. THIS is really an important concept to consider. When volume is identical comparing 3x a week with 2 sets of strength vs 2x a week with 3 sets of strength, the latter was far more beneficial.

There's more. If you combine this study with others demonstrating adrenal insufficiency, recovery rate, and the number one obstacle for exercise (time), there is a huge advantage to less frequent, yet additional sets creating a volume of stimulus with a more positive effect.

Science: Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 2022

#4 Menopause Workout Tips: Still Ovulating? A Time to Lift Heavy, a Time to Do Agility Moves Plan your exercise with your cycle or you miss an opportunity to make fitness gains and decrease risk injury.

During week 2 or ovulation, That is about 10-14 days after your cycle starts, is the BEST time to lift heavy. Yet, it is the worst time to do agility and rapid directional changes of movement.

The effects of estrogen mean muscle benefits significantly from heavy and power work, and is supported by rigid tendons. However the combination of rigid tendons and lax ligaments also created with high estrogen mean injury risk is greater during this time.

Very often, women begin reporting greater injury or repeat injuries during perimenopause and there's no proof but I do suspect that not honoring this cycle is a contributing factor. Then once you've got a weak link you are not aware of, the repeated stress without cycling workout stimulus is worsened.

Menopause? of course estrogen is over all, down. But cycling or periodization is still a consideration in order to optimize benefits and decrease risk of injury.

Science: Frontiers in Physiology, 2019

#5 Menopause Workout Tips: 3 Solutions for Overcoming Sarcopenia or Anabolic Resistance Muscle protein synthesis is a chief mechanism for maintaining and gaining lean muscle. Estrogen's positive influence on muscle is removed or reduced during menopause. What's left?

• Resistance Training
• High quality protein at regular intervals throughout the day (high quality includes sources with adequate leucine and EAA important to muscle gain)
• Supplementation - if dietary protein goals aren't achieved (could include protein powder, EAAs, Creatine, and or BCAAs)

The greatest of these is Resistance Training. The stimulus is a must.

Science: Nutrition Metabolism, 2016

Resources:

Power Plate: https://www.flippingfifty.com/PowerPlate

Use Code: Flipping50

Essential Amino Acids: https://www.flippingfifty.com/resources

What, When & Why to Exercise for Women 40+ Recordings: https://www.flippingfifty.com/womensexercise

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Whole Body Vibration: http://flipping50.com/whole-body-vibration/

Are MEN JUST as at Risk for Osteoporosis?:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/risk-for-osteoporosis/

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It’s Match-dot-com for wellness! My guest today is making it easy for women over 40 to find the right coach. And she’s also midlife herself so this episode is so meta in terms of examples of creatively following your passion, finding a problem and solving it!

Women in business are to be applauded! And women in wellness, well don’t we all need not MORE, but better choices. We need programs based on science, science featuring women just like you.

If you happen to be listening as a health or wellness professional, there’s a special episode on She Means Fitness Business that releases one day after this one.

If you have ever struggled to find the right coach, (or trainer) then this is for you!

My Guest:

In Jill Beck’s eyes, Health and wellness for people over 40 is in dire need of transformation. Let’s be honest, the industry has struggled to address the lack of fitness and wellness options for anyone who’s NOT a fit 25-40 year old (white) guy.

Once Jill left Wall Street 20+ years ago, she started to get serious about her health and fitness. Over that journey, she saw firsthand how few resources and options existed for people over 40. Now she’s on a mission to ensure that no one else has to go through that experience by themselves!

Combining her experience with tech & finance with her passion for wellness, fitness and overall health, Go Long is currently her third business venture and the one she’s most excited about.

The major throughline in all her businesses has been wanting to help people become their best selves, however they define that.

Questions we answer in this episode:

• What is a wellness matchmaker?
• How can a wellness matchmaker help a listener?
• What makes you qualified to have these conversations?
• What is Go Long's approach?
• How do you help your clients define success from the typical "I want to lose weight"?
• How does it work? How does someone get started with you, and what’s the timeline?
• What have been the biggest challenges for you in pivoting your career in midlife?
• You know someone who wants to find the right coach. Thank you in advance for sharing this episode with them.

Connect with Jill:

Website: https://golong.me

On Social:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/justgolong

Threads: https://threads.net/justgolong

Resources:

5 Day Flip: https://www.flippingfifty.com/5dayflip

How Do You Choose the Best Exercise Program for You?

https://www.flippingfifty.com/choose-best-exercise-program/

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Do You Need a Coach, Trainer, or Consultant? How to Choose a Fitness Pro

https://www.flippingfifty.com/need-a-coach/

Behind the Scenes Menopause Fitness Coaching Session

https://www.flippingfifty.com/menopause-fitness-coaching/

If You Were My Coaching Client, Here’s What I’d Ask… | Ask the Health Coach

https://www.flippingfifty.com/my-coaching-client/

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Have you wished there was a hormone therapy roadmap? Well, it’s your lucky day. It’s exactly what I hope this episode is for you. On the regular I am approached or meet with functional doctors who do hormone therapy for clients.

But this is a unique episode and I’ve crafted my questions hoping to answer yours: the ones you have and the ones you don’t. My goal during this interview was not to let my own bias enter in but ask curious questions as if I was naive, haven’t worked with functional doctors and clients and supported them as a liaison for what to ask, demand and when to get a second opinion. I’ve shared the difference between norms and optimal levels of labs, supported health coaches and trainers within our Flipping 50 Menopause Fitness Specialist training in understanding a hormone therapy intervention and how they can within scope of practice support clients.

But today, I try to fly blind and look at the options, the facts, the science, and ask my guest to share just that too.

My Guest:

Daved Rosensweet MD is the Founder of The Institute of BioIdentical Medicine and The Menopause Method, as well as the author of three books on the subject including his latest "Happy Healthy Hormones". With over 30 years of experience specializing in andropause and menopause treatment, Dr. Rosensweet is an internationally known lecturer and presenter. Early in his career, he trained the first nurse practitioners in the United States and was in charge of health promotion for the State of New Mexico. Currently, Dr. Rosensweet spends the majority of his time as the Medical Director of The Institute of BioIdentical Medicine, where he trains medical practitioners to specialize in menopause and andropause medicine.

Questions we answer in this episode:

Pros and Cons of:

• pills
• creams
• pellets
• shots
• under tongue
• patches

I would love to know if this hormone therapy roadmap was helpful for you.

Connect with Dr. Rosensweet:

Website: https://www.brite.live

On Social:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1124278224398950,

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davedrosensweetmd,

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/menopausedoctor/

Resources:

Download Dr. Rosensweet’s book “Happy Healthy Hormones” for free: https://iobim.org/book/

Book: Estrogen Matters https://www.amazon.com/Estrogen-Matters-Hormones-Menopause-Well-Being/dp/0316481203

5 Day Flip: https://www.flippingfifty.com/5dayflip

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Which Hormones Matter Most in Meno(pause) https://www.flippingfifty.com/which-hormones/

My Thyroid and Adrenals: Navigating Midlife Hormones https://www.flippingfifty.com/my-thyroid/

What Women Need to Know about Hormone Replacement Therapy https://www.flippingfifty.com/?s=hormone+therapy

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Postmenopause bones are at greater risk of fracture, continued bone loss and in need of specific exercise to target and protect. Whether you’re fragile, high risk or you’re one of millions of women diagnosed with either osteoporosis or osteopenia wanting to reverse it, if you’re postmenopause, this is particularly for you. It’s a quick episode targeting specifically women post menopause to compliment this month-long heavy emphasis on bone health.

From the research:

Average bone loss is 1.5% per year for the spine and 1.1% – 1.4% for the femoral neck in the first 4-5 years post menopause. Losses slow slightly after this and then increase again in later decades.

Scared? Not the intention. But woken up? It’s time to be fully so.

Look, it would have been much better had you jumped rope and done gymnastics as a kid. Better still if you started serious strength training and stopped starving yourself in your 20s. Even better if during pregnancies you ate more knowing the baby was first priority and your bones were getting drained if you were trying to avoid too much weight gain. And if in your perimenopause stages you didn’t lift heavy weight and consume high quality protein, then now… now is the time to get serious.

Post Menopause Bones: The 411

With none of these should you start at this ideal. Each of them requires a start that’s appropriate, and a progression that’s slow and appropriate over months. Your ligaments and connective tissue, your neural or brain connection to muscle is a piece that cannot be rushed

Strength Train major muscle 8-12 reps 3-4 sets, 2-3x a week

Add Power: lift quickly, lower under control

Weight bearing impact activity

3-5 sets of 10-20 jumps 4-7 days per week

[https://youtu.be/Q4cDTMHWP6Y]

In this list of movements (those demonstrated briefly in the video), the numbers that follow represent the ground forces of the moves. If you can do the Vertical squat jump, your bone benefit is nearly 3x that of dancing (which is probably only slightly greater than walking). With impact comes a slightly greater risk and reasons may exist why this isn’t a good choice for you. Those include but aren’t limited to arthritis, joint replacement, low cartilage (in need of a replacement), degeneration in spine.

Dance Step 2.7

Step Up(30cm) 2.7

Lateral Step up 3.1

Hopping 3.4

Jump squat 3.8

Side to side jumps 3.9

Star jump 4.3

Foot stomp 4.6

Vertical jump 4.7

Side to side over rope 5.1

Depth jump 5.2

Drop jump 5.5

Forward/backward Squat Jump 6.3

Vertical Squat Jump 7.1

Yoga 12 minutes a day

Exercise extensor muscles of spine are among the greatest benefactors of yoga, supporting the prevention of fractures.

HIIT

High Intensity Exercise activates fast twitch muscle fibers which help build bone, as well as improve reaction skills and decrease risk of falls

Exercise Effects on Bone Vary:

• resistance exercise on femoral neck

exercise without resistance on femoral neck

resistance-only exercise

functional exercises on femoral neck or lumbar spine

balance exercises

bone loading exercise alone

A review of literature that included many studies show mixed results for exercise effects on bone. It’s the wild west. Just checking the “weight training” box may not support significant change in bone.

For Programs Targeting Postmenopause bones, know your goals and ASK:

Stop or slow losses

Gain bone density

Overall, higher levels of physical activity were associated with better bone health. [When it combining targeted recommendations below]

Need to Know:

Weight bearing balance and functional exercises must also include resistance component to be effective for bone. (Either, weighted vest, or (most optimal) resistance training as a component of weekly routine).

Walking speeds lower than 3.5 prove ineffective for bone benefit

BULLSEYE for BONE: (shared in a recent podcast episode)

Weight bearing impact activity (stepping, jumping, weighted vest)

3-5 sets of 10-20 jumps 4-7 days per week (see prior post)

Strength Train major muscle groups 8-12 reps 3-4 sets, 2-3x a week (equal change)

Add Power: lift quickly, lower under control

Volume matters: a sound 3 or 4 sets of compound or “core” moves BESTs 8-10 exercises done 2x. (those big circuits are not what your bone needs)

Exercise extensor muscles of spine for posture (& fracture prevention)

What was NOT effective in postmenopause bones improvement?

Resistance training at less than 80% (8-10 reps)**

Functional training alone

Balance weight bearing alone

Walking or running alone

Even resistance alone is not as significant as in combination with multiple exercises including resistance.

What IS functional exercise for bones?

Related directly to improving your bones. It’s not necessarily a trainer’s “functional fitness” class.

** you have to start with less than 80% however. Start with 60-70% or 15-20 reps. Progress over months. Know good form.

References::

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6429007/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30503353/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30503353/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33239014/

https://asbmr.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jbmr.3284

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4851231/

Pinheiro, M.B., Oliveira, J., Bauman, A. et al. Evidence on physical activity and osteoporosis prevention for people aged 65+ years: a systematic review to inform the WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act17, 150 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-020-01040-4

Other Episodes You Might Like:

Whole Body Vibration: http://flipping50.com/whole-body-vibration/

Exercise for Bone Density Then and Now: https://www.flippingfifty.com/exercise-for-bone-density/

21 Reasons Weight Training Should Be Mandatory Exercise After 50: https://www.flippingfifty.com/weight-training-should-be-mandatory/

Resources:

Use Code: Flipping50 for 20% off your own Power Plate Move