Have you ever wondered why your guy-friends always manage to put away so much food and yet somehow remain so skinny? It’s because their body works differently compared to yours – where your body keeps most of the calories, theirs burns them off. It’s one of the biggest reasons women have a much harder time losing weight (not to mention an easier time gaining it) as compared to men.
That doesn’t mean all hope is lost, though. Far from it! The key to losing weight is understanding why your body loses weight differently in the first place, then coming up with weight-reduction strategies that account for said differences. eFitnessHelp offers some reliable advice below.
Why women lose weight differently
The UPMC offers 4 science-backed reasons women lose weight differently: physiology, genetics, psychology, and culture. To put it in a nutshell, women have slower metabolisms causing them to burn fewer calories and hold on to more weight; they often inherit a heavier “natural weight range”; they are more inclined to yo-yo diet; and they receive the same food portions as men everywhere (such as restaurants).
Strategies for women to lose weight
Once you understand why you lose (and gain) weight differently, you can come up with weight loss reduction strategies uniquely suited to you. Here are some tried-and-tested ones:
1. Reduce stress
Excessive stress causes you to gain weight, not to mention induce cravings for fatty, high-sugar foods. If you can manage your stress levels, you can keep your weight under control too. Go out in nature, listen to music, pick up a hobby, and meditate. If you work from home, you can create a home office space that minimizes stress. Some suggestions from experts are decluttering, creating a storage system for paper records, and having ample lighting.
2. Eat healthy
If there’s one thing that will help you lose weight, even more than exercise, it’s healthy food. NBC shares healthy foods that science has green lighted: Plant foods like whole wheat and grains as well as foods with healthy fats and carbs like vegetables and fruits. Avoid red meats, processed meats, and processed foods in general. Also, drink more water. Last, but not least, control your portions. Eat till your hunger abates, not till you’re bursting.
3. Sleep better
The amount of sleep you get also influences your weight. Not only does your body burn food when you sleep but if you don’t get sufficient sleep, you will gain weight. It’s a good idea to get at least 7 hours of sleep or more every night. The quality of sleep you get – how rested you feel the next day – also matters. Have a sleep routine, get a comfortable mattress, and maintain your room’s temperature.
4. Do yoga
Did you know there are yoga poses to help you lose weight? Some poses burn calories rapidly while others target areas of your body that hold fat – think your love handles, belly, and thighs. A well-rounded yoga routine, paired with a solid diet, can help you drop weight quickly. Yoga also offers other benefits – more flexibility, energy, and better health in general.
5. Join a gym
Going to a gym is a wonderful idea. It doesn’t just offer exercise benefits but also motivation-related ones – having fit people around you can fuel your competitive drive and give you the motivation you need to get fit yourself. Most gyms also have experienced trainers who can offer targeted weight-loss and nutritional advice.
Walking is an easy, highly-effective way to reduce weight. Furthermore, walking after you eat a meal can help you digest your food better. Last, but not least, walking also helps your mental health and keeps your stress levels down. If your neighborhood isn’t pedestrian-friendly, look for an area with a high Walk Score of 70 or above to get your daily steps in.
Women naturally hold on to more weight, and have a harder time shaking it off. Regular exercise, combined with a healthy diet, still allows them to lose weight reliably. Sticking to a solid self-care routine is the key to getting rid of as much as a pound or two every week, not to mention maintaining a reduced weight long-term.
Achieve your health goals with expert guidance and resources fromeFitnessHelp – your partner in a stronger, healthier you!
When it comes to creating a progressive overload plan, we have touched on a lot of elements so far. However, when it comes to how to specifically create your program, whether you are creating a program for yourself, finding one online, or looking to work with a trainer in person, there are some nuances that need to be discussed.
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If You Want to Improve Your Strength Training, You Should:
Give yourself the freedom to warm up and work on balance as a key part of your strength training program
Focus on the type of exercises that will help you feel good for longer
Challenge yourself with where your current ability level is and up the ante over time
Consistency is the Name of the Game
When you are doing a deadlift, overhead press, bench press, or squat, you need to familiarize your body with the movement pattern you are going to be doing that day. Movement prep and balance work will help you prepare your body for what is coming next, and create positive changes in how your body and brain relate to each other more effectively when things get heavy. Giving yourself the freedom to warm up, be consistent, and listen to your body, is what is going to get you further in your progressive overload plan.
Strength Training for Every Age
Movement prep and balance work are two things that I program into every session of Strong with Steph. Especially as we transition from perimenopause to postmenopause, we need to work with the changes happening in our bodies to help ourselves stay strong for longer. The truth is, that our body loses strength, hormones, and energy as we get older, which is why we need to have a strength training plan that helps us combat what we are losing and instead helps us find gains. Implementing a well-planned program takes the burden off of you so that you can focus on feeling great.
Are you ready to reevaluate your strength training plan as a woman over 40? Share your thoughts with me in the comments below.
In This Episode
A recap of what we have spoken about so far when it comes to strength training over 40 (2:45)
The importance of balance work for longevity as we age (6:45)
How movement preparation can improve your training program (14:52)
Understanding the role of estrogen when it comes to your joints and their needs (20:16)
Examples of balance work and movement prep that show up in the Strong with Steph Workout Plan (30:15)
Quotes
“Having these guide your strength training is super, super important, and not something you want to gloss over when you are either writing a program for yourself, finding one online, or looking to work with a trainer in person.” (2:35)
“Movement preparation and balance work create a foundation for building strength and are so important when we are considering longevity in training and safety and mitigating risk to the best of our possible influence, especially as we are aging.” (6:13)
“Research strongly supports the idea that warming up with the actual lift you plan to perform but at a lighter load is an effective way to prepare your body for heavier lifting.” (21:20)
“Addressing these things through training is very important, and there is something that you can do about it.” (29:08)
“Movement prep and balance work are essential, and we know they are going to play an important role in joint health, mitigating the risk of injury and enhancing our experience of progressive overload.” (39:24)
Why Movement Prep & Balance Matter in Strength Training Over 40 Transcript
Steph Gaudreau
What are two aspects of strength training for women over 40 that are often overlooked in a progressive overload plan? They are movement preparation and balance work. I know nobody thinks that this is super sexy, but it is really important. On today’s podcast, we’re going to talk about why that is and why including movement preparation and balance work in your progressive overload.
Strength training plan is a smart move, especially if you are a woman over 40. If you’re an athletic 40-something woman who loves lifting weights, challenging yourself, and doing hard shit, the Fuel Your Strength podcast is for you. You’ll learn how to eat, train and recover smarter, so you build strength and muscle, have more energy, and perform better in and out of the gym.
I’m strength nutrition strategist and weight lifting coach, Steph Gaudreau, the Fuel Your Strength podcast dives into evidence-based strategies for nutrition, training, and recovery and why once you’re approaching your 40s and beyond, you need to do things a little differently than you did in your 20s. We’re here to challenge the limiting industry narratives about what women can and should do in training and beyond. If that sounds good, hit subscribe on your favorite podcast app, and let’s go.
Welcome back to the podcast. Thank you so much for joining me. I’m really excited to dive into this topic with you, and it’s really the third in a series where we’re taking a deeper look into progressive overload strength training for women over 40. And here’s the thing, lots of the elements that we have touched on so far, for example, what is progressive overload in the first place? And secondly, how do we use things like auto-regulation, reps and reserve, and rate of perceived exertion to guide our intensity?
Those things aren’t specifically just for women over 40. The point I’ve been trying to make in this series is that contextually, these elements are really important to not skip when you’re in this stage of life. In other words, having these guides, your strength training is super, super important, and not something you want to gloss over when you’re either writing a program for yourself, finding one online, or looking to work with a trainer in person.
So we’ve discussed, why is auto-regulation so important when sleep is more unpredictable when you’re going through the perimenopause, the menopause transition or you’re just over 40 in general, and life is really throwing some curveballs to you. We’ve talked about why progressive overload is so key. And although these one-off training modules that you might come across in a popular app, for example, you’re like, oh, four weeks of this or a few weeks of that, can help you get moving.
We’re really looking at long-term progressive overload to help you move in the right direction. And is even more critical as you’re aging, to get you the strength and muscle and, in fact, other elements that we’re going to be talking about to to get those desired outcomes. It’s even more important because we’re facing some challenges like slower recovery, increased rate of muscle loss, increased rate of bone loss, loss of power and quickness and so much more. So that’s really why we’re talking about this.
And in today’s episode, we’re taking the next step in looking at how I specifically program for example, in my Strong With Steph program, yes, we use progressive overload as the guiding principle. Of course, the rate of perceived exertion, reps and reserve, and auto-regulation guide intensity. But now we’re diving into how is the actual program set up, and that’s what I’m going to be covering in this episode.
For those of you out there who are thinking, what are the elements I want to look for in a training plan, this is going to be important information. And of course, if you want to try a free seven-day sample of the Strong With Steph program, you can go to StephGaudreau.com/workout so today, we’re going to be covering the first two, which are movement, preparation, and balance work. These are two things that I program in every single session of Strong With Steph, and I’m going to be walking through the rationale.
Why is this really important? For those of you over 40? How do we do this? What are some of the exercises or examples that you might find, and how you can start thinking about this in your own programming? If you haven’t been doing these, if you’re liking this content, of course, please hit subscribe on your favorite podcast platform or your favorite podcast app, if you’re watching on YouTube, Hi. Thanks for joining me. Hit the subscribe button and go ahead and hit the notification button as well.
So you get notified of new episodes before we dive in. If you listen to this episode and you’re like, okay, I am ready to get to work. I want to take my strength, muscle, energy, and performance and take it up a notch. I want to take it to that next level. I want to feel like a badass, but at the same time, do it in a way that works with my physiology as an athletic woman over 40 with coaching and community support. Then go ahead and check out Strength, Nutrition, Unlocked. This is my group program.
We’re going to lay out the framework for you and guide you as you implement and really customize it to all the things that you’re doing, your preferences, your likes, and the places you want to go with it. Then go ahead and get on board. You can start your process by submitting an application at StephGaudreau.com/apply we would love to hear from you and see you inside the program today.
Again, as I was saying, the intent is to share with you that movement, preparation, and balance work create a foundation for building strength and are so important when we’re considering longevity and training safety and mitigating risk to the best of our possible influence, especially as we’re aging and as we are transitioning through perimenopause into post-menopause, which can really span decades of a woman’s life.
This stuff becomes very, very important. And of course, once you’re postmenopausal, you’re postmenopausal for the rest of your life. So this stuff is very, very, very relevant. And today, we’re going to be looking at this, particularly in regard to tissue quality, bone density, balance, and so on. And so far. So first of all, why are movement, preparation, and balance work so important for us, naturally, we tend to see a decline in our muscle strength, our muscle size, our coordination, our proprioception, our ability to figure out where we are in space, where is our body positioned in space?
And because of those things, the risk of falling, the risk of literally falling down, increases as we get older, and this is a really important partner to what we’re going to be talking about with the balance work, because fall risk does increase, especially as we see degradations in strength, coordination, and balance, for example, we also have those hormonal shifts that are going on as we go through peri-menopause into post-menopause, and because we have that eventual drop in estrogen, we have an acceleration of bone density loss, which raises our risk of fracture.
And there are studies, many of them, that demonstrate that fracture rates in women rise significantly in the years following menopause. So once you’re post-menopausal, and even as we’re getting into the earlier parts of perimenopause, where we’re seeing more fluctuation and different parts of the body are significantly affected, especially areas like the hip, the spine, and wrist. Wrist fractures, are the more common areas wrist because if you put your hand down when you’re falling, you’re more apt to break a wrist or wrist bones.
There is good news, though, we can work to prevent this, or work to strengthen our bones especially if we’re not postmenopausal, and even if we are, there is some interesting evidence that we may be able to prevent further decline in bone density, for example, and we’re really going to be talking about that a little bit more in the next episode when we cover power and plyometric work.
Needless to say, the percentage of women over age 50 who have osteoporosis of the neck of the femur, that’s the long upper leg bone or the lumbar spine, is almost 20% in the United States, it’s something like 18.8% and I think that’s based off 2022 data. I’d have to check that and notate it in the show notes. But nevertheless, we know that osteoporosis, and even osteopenia, which is lower bone density but is not quite clinical in terms of osteoporosis, is very common, especially as we age, and that risk increases as we go along.
So working in balance, and training into your routine helps to train your body so that you can reduce the risk of falls and also increase your stability and coordination and with better balance, you’re less likely to experience falls and fractures. And of course, the element of bone-strengthening we’re going to talk about in the next episode as well, or bone density increase with things like plyometric work.
And we know, of course, that there are some potential serious downstream results of a serious fracture, for example, fracture of the hip, and those rates of long-term hospitalization or long-term care or even risk of death that occurs in closer proximity to that fracture, especially if we’re going to fracture a hip or something of that nature tends to be quite a high number.
So again, this is not to be alarmist or scary, but just to paint the picture for you, especially if you’re in this age bracket where, if you haven’t started to work on things like balance for the fall prevention and then working on bone strengthening through a combination of, for example, plyometric work and strength training and lifting challenging enough weights, there is good news on the horizon. So that’s really important.
And the US exercise guidelines for adults 65 and over are the same as the guidelines for adults 64 or 65 and over, I think that’s what I said. Are the same as adults 64 and younger. However, with the addition of it just says balance training, so the formal exercise guidelines in the United States, and I believe that’s mirrored also, of course, in the who is going to include those two prongs, which we’ve talked about multiple times on this podcast of cardiovascular training and strength training two times a week minimum. This is like the minimum, two times a week of strength training.
And if you’re an adult over the age of 65 and up, it says also balance training. My thought on it is, if you’re in this 40-ish or up group of people, and you’ve taken time away, especially from athletics or leisure exercise or just getting into the gym, you probably are already seeing declines in your balance. I have seen this multiple times with clients who are in that 40 to 50 age bracket who are saying, I was shocked at how poor my balance was, but because I’m doing regular balance training inside this program, it’s improving my balance, and balance improves theory quickly, and doesn’t take a ton to maintain once you’ve improved it, but you have to do it, and you don’t actually need to do it in the context of a strength training program.
Either you can work on balance in your day-to-day and work on challenging your balance and training your balance. So you don’t even have to do it in a formal program, per se. But I will mention this, when left to people’s own devices, sometimes it’s just not something that they include in the routine or they forget about it. So having it purposely baked into the training program is incredibly helpful, because it’s there in your program, in your app, when you open it up, and I’ve had multiple clients tell me, Hey, I was out on a hike and I tripped over a route and I was able to stay upright and not fall down.
I had somebody else who slipped on ice and was able to catch themselves from falling. The stories are incredible of people who are finally doing regular balance training, even in small doses, but I’ve noticed how much it’s carrying over to the day-to-day activities that they’re doing daily life sports. So if you’re playing a sport, whether it’s competitively or recreationally, right?
So there are multiple benefits of that balance training for application to your daily life outside of mitigating the risk of falls, and then, of course, with the increased risk of osteoporosis or even osteopenia, those two things together really increase the risk of fall and fracture. So that’s really important, and that is something that I include in every single Strong With Steph session balance work, and it does progress throughout the year.
So it starts with easier balance exercises and progresses to more challenging balance exercises, especially as you’re going on and then again, working in multiple planes. So oftentimes, we tend to be forward and backward in our training. With this is the sagittal plane, forward and back. And oftentimes, when left to your own devices, you might forget things like rotation. So there we have rotational balance exercises inside the program or lateral, what we call frontal plane movement. So that side-to-side and challenging balance in all planes. It’s so, so important.
We don’t just live in the forward and backward plane of motion. So that’s something that I include in every single Strong with Steph workout for that reason. Okay, in segment two here we’re going to talk about movement preparation. And there are lots of different things that we could cover here, but I want to hit on a few main points, and again, why this is so important, especially when we are getting over 40.
You’re not 20-25 anymore, and your body is just, you know, showing normal wear and tear, or maybe you’ve had some injuries, or you’re getting started again after a period of inactivity, and you haven’t been lifting, no judgment, no shame there whatsoever. It happens for tons of reasons, but when you’re ready to engage again, where you’re ready to get on a structured training program. It’s important to think about this, and there are different schools of thought here. There’s also interesting research, which we’ll talk about here in a moment. Suffice it to say, movement preparations shouldn’t be their own long-ass workout, but depending on you and what you need.
It may take you a shorter amount of time or a longer amount of time. And I’ll talk about what I include in Strong With Steph and why it’s there. And you can think about how you would pick and choose to put this in if you’re going to be doing this on your own, or if you’re thinking about working with me, why do I include it in your daily sessions? So we know that a dynamic warm-up can have benefits in terms of dynamic stretches where we’re not holding for a really long period of time. So just a few seconds of mobility drills, for example, can help to increase blood flow.
What we would say, is activate your muscles, not that your muscles are, dead or turned off. Because people will say, like, oh, I need to, you know, my glutes don’t work. I need to activate them. We just mean, to get you moving, and can help to prime the nervous system. So a general dynamic warm-up is something you could do. Now, that being said, the way I approach it in Strong With Steph is by picking a couple of dynamic movements that cover most of your main hinge, squat, push, and pull patterns and or tailoring that to what you’re really going to be doing on the day now, Strong With Steph is more of a whole body or full body three times a week.
So chances are you’re going to be looking at some general, you know, hip and shoulder work, and then also, depending on what we’re going to be focusing on on the day, a couple of extra dynamic movements to help you really address that movement pattern that we’re going to be hitting pretty hard. So for example, if we’re squatting, you might be doing some dynamic warm-up work that has to do with the squat pattern, so try to keep it as relevant to what you’re doing as possible. And it doesn’t have to be a lot.
You don’t have to spend 30 to 60 minutes doing dynamic warm-up. The idea is just to move through some reps at a relatively quick pace, right? Not spending, you know, 30 seconds holding static stretches, per se, to get you moving. Now you can also, and some of my clients choose to include something like a general cardio warm-up where they’re doing five to 10 minutes, on the bike, on the treadmill, on the ski ERG, on the rowing machine, something of that nature, because maybe they’ve been sitting all day, or they just woke up and they’re feeling a little bit stiff.
They’re feeling a little bit, you know, like that a warm-up gives them a chance to switch from work mode if maybe they’re doing their workout at the end of the day, it’s almost like getting in the car and commuting, and maybe you are driving to the gym. So that’s not that’s not relevant. But some of my clients work out at home, and they feel like they just need that little bit of a mental buffer between work and the actual workout itself to really get going and to switch their brains into that workout mode.
So the research on this, especially when it comes to our heavier lifting, we’ll talk about that in a moment. It’s not 100% necessary to do that general cardio. Warm up if you’re not feeling like you need it. But if you feel like that helps you, and you’ve got five to 10 minutes to devote to it, and also, you know, bonus, you’re getting a little bit of, probably zone two cardio out of it, then great. You know, it’s, it’s totally fine. It’s not hurting you in any way.
But is it 100% necessary in every single case? Maybe not. And I include it anyway in the warm-up directions, just if my clients feel like, hey, I need to have something to just shake off the cobwebs of sitting all day. I need to ease in. I want to listen to some music to pump me up, whenever it happens to me. Sometimes that general cardio warm-up can help. Then we go into that dynamic warm-up again to move you around, to get you through those movement patterns, specifically that you’re going to be working on that day, and also to just go through a little bit of joint mobility work, especially as we’re aging.
A lot of my clients have joint sensitivity, or what I would call an unpleasant joint sensation, which is. Stiffness, maybe a low level of achiness, because one of the reasons being, as we’re going through that perimenopause to menopause transition, and again, we’re losing estrogen, and we’re in that post-menopausal period where estrogen is quite low estrogen, it plays a really important role in keeping our joints well lubricated, keeping the tissue healthy and you know, working, functioning very, very well.
And so as estrogen is eventually going to be at its much lower level, a lot of my clients have more joint sensitivity as they’re aging. And so they find that that helps them to, you know, again, feel a little bit better going into the workout. They’re not feeling as stiff, as creaky as you know, or just overall less mobile. It gives them a chance to work through that. So let’s go into this idea, and we’ll probably talk about it again in the next episode of warming up by doing the lifts themselves.
I just talked about, mimicking the lift pattern or the movement pattern that you’re going to be doing on that day. So hinge, squat, push, pull, etc. Research strongly supports this idea that warming up with the actual lift that you plan to perform, but at a lighter load, is an effective way to prepare your body for heavier lifting. So again, this is more and as we’re going into the idea of your strength work, and we’ll cover that in the next episode, but I do want to cover it here because oftentimes people get confused.
They’re like, do I need to do warm-up sets for the exercises that you’re going to be doing that day? This approach where we’re doing warm-up sets of the lift that we’re then going to be doing at a more strength level is called specific warm-up. And there are some advantages to doing this, especially when it comes to how our muscles work and the integration with our nervous system. So it helps you, first of all, to familiarize your body with a movement pattern that you’re going to be doing that day, performing the same movement, but with a lighter weight reinforcing the general motor pattern that you’re going to be using in that lift.
So say, for example, squat deadlift, bench press, overhead press, right? And this can really be helpful again, especially if you’re somebody who is feeling a little bit stiff, a little bit sore, you’re waking up and doing this early in the morning, and so your body has just been lying down for hopefully about eight hours or at the end of the day, or you’ve been sitting a lot, so practicing the motion is allowing your brain and muscles to coordinate together more effectively, especially when the weight increases.
I don’t know about you, but if you’ve ever had the sensation of walking up to a heavy barbell and trying to lift it without any prior warm-up sets. It just feels like a fucking shock to your body. Your body’s like, what the hell? And maybe you could lift it, but it just felt grungy. I don’t know a better way to say it. It just felt slow or grindy, or just didn’t feel smooth. It didn’t feel natural. It feels like a big wake-up call, and you’re thinking, wow, that felt really heavy.
So that’s one reason why you will probably want to do warm-up sets, especially for your strength work, again, joint and muscle preparation, right? So gradually loading your muscles, tendons, ligaments, your joints, with lighter weights is going to help to increase blood flow and temperature to those areas and feel more smooth and feel like you’re prepped and ready, and to help the tissues be more supple, I guess is, is the term I would use, right? So more elastic?
Is this going to help prevent every single injury known to mankind that you could incur no but again, it’s probably smart insurance for mitigating the risk of injury as best as possible, and also for working through fuller ranges of motion. Nervous system activation is another element here of that specific warm-up. So let’s say I’m doing squats, right? This is going to help prime the nervous system, which is key for strength, stability, and motor recruitment, especially as things get heavier and heavier, and mimicking the movement with a lighter weight or lighter intensity is going to help prime that connection between the nervous system and the muscle being able to contract so recruiting the muscle fibers, those muscle units, to contract when things get really heavy, really, really, really important.
And it also, I would say, another aspect of this, that people focus a lot more on the physiological things which we just covered, which are totally valid. But also, I don’t hear this one being mentioned as often. It’s like a dress rehearsal, right? So it’s a dress rehearsal for when things get heavy. Practicing the lift even at a lower weight, is going to provide a mental cue to your body of what’s coming, and help you focus more when you actually get to heavier sets. So people will ask, okay, so should I be doing warm-up sets for every single?
Exercise generally, I would say no, but definitely for strength work. So whatever your main strength work is of the day, those say two to six rep ranges that you’re doing, that’s especially the stuff that you want to pay attention to, because it should also be at the top of your workout. If you’re programming for yourself, stop putting your strength work at the end. Put it up top. So in Strong With Steph, put it after the just movement prep and balance work.
And then if there’s any Power or Plyo work, straight into strength work. And then all of our accessory work comes after that. And depending on the phase of what we’re focusing on, it could be more strength, you know, biased or more hypertrophy bias, it just depends. But when you’re really picking up those heavier weights, just going super heavy into the rack, or picking something super heavy up off the floor, you haven’t done as much to that point.
I’ve probably done a little bit of Power Plyo work, which I include. So that’s going to help. But definitely for those strength sets, starting at something, you know, like a 40, 50% working up to about 60% or if we’re doing RPE, starting at about four to five RPE, and then working up to six, maybe seven, depending on how heavy you’re going, that day is generally going to be how you want to approach those warm-ups.
And doing, you know, multiple sets to buildup, but not too many. And that’s another mistake that I see a lot of people making, is they’re just taking a ton of warm-up sets, like a ton. You’re just adding a ton of volume. So there is a little bit of an art slash strategy to giving yourself enough warm-up sets. It depends on the lift as well.
How heavy you’re going to start, relatively speaking, so with the deadlift will generally start, obviously with more weight on the bar, because it’s going to be a heavier lift than something like an overhead press. But I just wanted to add that in here. Now, when it comes to accessory work, by that point, you’ve likely done quite a bit of movement. You’ve done your heavier strength work. I don’t find that most of my lifters need warm-up sets for their accessory work.
If it’s heavier strength accessory work, they might take a warm-up set or two. And some of this is super dependent on the individual. And I give my lifters that freedom to add a warm-up set or two if they’re really feeling like on the day my knees feel super creaky, or my shoulder feels a little bit janky, whatever they need to get into their work, their strength work, or their hypertrophy work, to help them feel more comfortable and confident in their body and feel like they’re ready and prepared.
So that’s the idea behind that. And again, strength work for Strong With Steph, especially those main lifts, which we tend to focus on, being deadlift, overhead press, deadlift, I will say, or hip thrust, depending on the day, but deadlift/hip thrust, overhead press, bench press, and squat, I had to think that for a second, definitely doing warm-up sets for all of that. Okay, so now we’ve talked about why we have balance work in the program, why there’s movement prep in the program?
And again, just to think about this and give you some examples and remind you, and come back to the right as we are aging these, these things like balance, are declining our nervous system, recruitment of muscle fiber, like things tend to slow down, and in some cases, like what we’re going to talk about, power work, for example, in the next podcast episode, we may see a shift toward type one, less explosive fibers away from type two, again, as we’re aging, and especially with that extra added layer of hormonal shifting that we’re experiencing as we go through perium, and post-menopause.
So addressing these things through training is very important, and there is something you can do about it. And I guess that’s why I bring this up is, yes, we may see changes in our proprioception, our reflexes. We may have less strength in our postural muscles. We may have less of a type two fiber situation happening more shift toward type one fibers, less strength, less muscle mass, but through training, through progressive overload training, taking the long-term approach, taking longevity in mind, it is absolutely possible to train these things and see significant improvement, and if you haven’t started yet, it’s okay.
Yes, the best time to start training would have been years or decades ago, but the next best time is now. And there is so much positive that you can do if you’re consistent enough, which you don’t have to be perfect with, but with enough. Consistency is super, super important. So examples of balance exercises that show up in the program, and again, I put those toward the top of the workout. We’re not talking about tons and tons of reps here or tons of sets, but just enough to get it in and get it done. And again, squeeze that work in.
Again, you could do it outside of gym time. You can do it while you’re standing in the kitchen, brushing your teeth, watching TV, or watching Netflix. You can totally do it outside of gym time. But most people find that it’s hard to remember to do that in addition to all the other things that they’re doing in the day-to-day. But you could do that there so simply speaking, a single leg balance with your knee up, that is challenging enough sometimes for people, especially for holding for, you know, an increasingly long length of time.
But if you’re finding that that’s too easy, two of my favorite ways to make your balance exercises spicier are very simple. Number one is while, every while you’re doing whatever balance exercise it is that you’re doing to turn your head, turn your head to the side, right side to side. Slowly, that’s going to change your proprioception, which is going to make balance a lot harder.
Secondly is to close your eyes so that visual feedback is so important to your brain to help you figure out where you are in space. So those are two ways that you can take, any simple looking balance exercise and make it a little bit harder. I know that some of my clients are not at that point yet. So balance, you can do this close to a wall, close to the back of a chair, or if you’re in the gym, you can hold on to the squat rack or something of that nature, or have it nearby.
You don’t have to go the hardest exercise right up front, but really just give yourself a chance to feel what that’s like. And if you can do this without your shoes on, many people find it easier because you’re able to really use those smaller stability stabilizing muscles of the feet in the lower limbs especially. And a lot of people find that the balance exercises are easier with their shoes off if they wear really squishy tennis shoes or running shoes.
Some people, sometimes people find that harder because it’s a little bit more of an unstable or soft platform. So you can keep that in mind from there, I like to include some rotation. So whether it’s lower body rotation and simply having your knee up standing on one foot, rotating from to one side and back to the midline, and then switching sides, or upper body rotation while you’re balancing on one foot.
So the lift and chop being one of my favorites here, take a lighter dumbbell or a small medicine ball. You can have that down at your side, across your body, at the pocket, you’re again, standing on one foot, and you’re going to cross it over your midline, and up diagonally, you’re going to be holding it up, and then you’re going to bring it back down, so you’re including that upper body rotation while keeping your lower body still.
Another great one is that windmill, single leg windmill, where you’re sitting on one leg again, one leg is up, your knee is up, and you’re going to be rotating your entire upper body, torso from one side back to the midline, and then, of course, switching sides. If you’re watching me on YouTube, I’m trying to demonstrate this, but I’m in my little recording copy, and I don’t have a lot of room here, so I’ll try to link the videos that we have in our, by the way, side note, 500 plus exercise demonstration videos for free on YouTube demonstrating all of these exercises that are in the Strong With Steph program.
So if you want ideas, we’ll link up some of these in the show notes and in the YouTube description. So you can just click and check out the balance exercises that I’m recommending here. All right, so putting it all together again, we just want to think about including enough of this work to get us a response right, to have an adaptation, and to see change without belaboring the point.
Yes, there are single leg strength exercises, or, you know, depending on how many reps we’re doing, could be done for hypertrophy as well that are going to help. And you can include those in your program. We’ll talk about those in the next podcast episode, where we cover unilateral exercises and why those are so key. But you just want to think about, how do I give myself a challenge with where my current ability level is, and then slowly up the ante over time.
So especially with the balance work, if standing on one leg is too easy, let’s include some other planes of movement, right, like, right like, rotation, lateral, or just moving parts of the body out in a lateral fashion while balancing on one foot. And so making that slightly more challenging or dynamic over time is important, and including it, on a regular enough basis after you’ve improved your balance significantly, maybe you don’t have to do that every session.
And you will have to do enough to maintain so even a couple times a week, I tend to find that most people will do the job pretty well, but being consistent enough in the long run. So that’s really the name of the game in terms of progressive overload with that, and then again, with your movement prep work, I would say here, yes, progressing over time could be key, going into, for example, slightly deeper ranges of motion in a controlled fashion, of course, or including things that are slightly more advanced.
So say, for example, I’m thinking of a couch stretch, although that tends to be something that people do at the end of a workout for a little bit more of a stretch movement. But you can include things that target the quads, for example, in terms of a Bulgarian rock back or something of that nature. For some people, that’s a little bit intense. So you might start with something that’s not quite as intense.
Maybe you’re going to start in a perfect stretch, a Spiderman deep lunge, or something of that nature. So just keep in mind that you can progress, in many cases, the movement prep. But a lot of times, the movement prep will be more specific to what you’re doing on that day. And of course, if you’re in the over 40 club, super important that you give yourself that check-in toward the beginning of your workout. How are you feeling? What’s your sleep been like? What’s your level of joint, potential irritation, stiffness, or creakiness? You know, what does your body need on that day? What’s the best option for you?
How do you scale it to something that’s more of a challenge or less of a challenge, depending on what you need? And I find that this is one of the most key things that my clients are practicing, and one of the hardest things sometimes to set the ego aside and say, you know, today is not the day for me to go full on. I need to back off a little bit, and that’s just what I need on the day. So bottom line, super important to include that mindset check and checking in with your body in terms of autoregulation.
And you can go ahead and, you know, think about going back and listening to that prior episode on autoregulation if you haven’t yet heard it. And of course, as always, track your improvements. We talked about this in the last episode, or maybe it was the one before that, with progressive overload as being one of the the biggest pitfalls, I think of training. And I think a lot of times it’s because people who are newer to this idea of a longer-term progressive overload program think, yeah, but like, I’m not good enough to track my progress yet.
Like I’m not elite enough, or I’m not advanced enough, and that’s just not true, right? Start tracking your weights. Start tracking you know what, your video your lifts. Start collecting data to help guide not only your decision-making or your coach’s programming, but also to see your progress, and that goes for things like your balance exercises. I can’t tell you how many times people write in their exercise log inside of our app that they’re noticing their balance is so much better, they’re so much more stable.
Of course, bubbles are gonna happen, and nobody’s balance is perfect from day to day, but from when they started to where they are now, our balance is light years better, and so that’s important to keep track of, just like anything else. So include those things you know, keep a roster, or keep a list of your warm-up sets. Even make adjustments as necessary. And that goes a little bit, but more a little bit back into that specific warm-up that we talked about. I’ll give you an example.
You know, thinking about my warm-up sets as I’ve increased my lifts, I’ve had to change my warm-up sets, right? And that’s just something that we see. As you get stronger, your warm-up weights are going to change based on what level of strength you’re currently at, so keep that in mind as well. It can be really helpful to write your warm-up sets down so that you have a record of that and you can see again how you’re improving over time. All right, so to wrap it up, movement, prep, and balance work are essential.
We know they’re going to play an important role in things like joint health, mitigating the risk of injury, and enhancing our experience of progressive overload. We know that balance training is so key, not only for adults over 65 but because menopause, and post-menopause, an average onset age of 52 to 53 we should be thinking about balance, in my opinion, far before the age of 65 and most people that I have ever worked with, even those who are under the age of 40, see that they have a much better response in terms of their balance if they’re including regular practice and training.
But of course, we know that as we age through the menopause transition in our post-era. Our risk for falls and fractures only goes up, especially if we’re not currently training. So that’s another nudge to get a training program and start getting on it and just starting the practice there. Consistency, of course, is the name of the game. Looking toward longevity and thinking about those things, you can make lots of positive changes, and implementing a well-thought-out program is going to take the burden off of you to have to plan all of those elements out.
So with that in mind, check out the free seven-day sample of Strong With Steph it includes these things that I talked about in this episode, which are the balance work, movement prep, and then also the things I’ll talk about in the future episodes such as Power and Plyo work, strength work and, of course, accessory work.
Okay, so check that out at StephGaudreau.com/workout I will send you the seven-day sample of Strong With Steph along with a free Guide To Strength Training for women over 40. It’s packed with lots of great information and think about how to apply this to your own training and your own life. All right. Thanks so much for being with me on this episode. As always, I appreciate it. If you liked this content, you found it helpful, please hit subscribe on your favorite podcast app.
It’s a free way to show that you support the show, and it helps other people with the same interests. Find this content also on YouTube. Hit subscribe there. Hit like and enable notifications. Hit that bell, that way, every time I publish a new episode, you’ll get a notification. All right, thanks so much for being with me on this episode. Stay tuned next time we’re diving into the meat and potatoes of all of this, the strength work. I’m so excited to talk about this and share more with you, but until then, stay strong.
How to Stay Motivated to Exercise: Staying motivated to exercise consistently can be a challenge, especially when life gets busy or when the initial excitement of a fitness goal starts to fade. Many of us have experienced the cycle of starting a workout routine with enthusiasm, only to lose momentum after a few weeks. The key to long-term success in fitness isn’t just about willpower — it’s about creating habits that are enjoyable, sustainable, and aligned with your lifestyle.
If you’re struggling to stay motivated, don’t worry. Here are some practical tips to help you build a lasting exercise routine that keeps you coming back for more.
1. Set Realistic and Specific Goals
One of the biggest mistakes people make when starting an exercise routine is setting unrealistic or vague goals. “I want to get in shape” or “I want to lose weight” are great aspirations, but they lack specificity and are hard to measure. Instead, set clear, achievable goals that give you something concrete to work toward.
For example, aim for “I want to exercise for 30 minutes, three times a week” or “I want to run a 5k in three months.” Setting smaller, realistic goals will help you track progress and make the journey feel more manageable. When you achieve these goals, you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment, which boosts motivation to keep going.
2. Find Activities You Enjoy
Let’s face it: no one sticks with an exercise routine they hate. If you dread your workouts, it’s hard to stay motivated. The key is to find activities that you genuinely enjoy. Whether it’s dancing, swimming, yoga, hiking, or playing a sport, find something that excites you. Exercise doesn’t have to mean hours of cardio or lifting heavy weights — it should be something that makes you feel good.
Trying different activities until you find something you love can make all the difference. Once you find an activity that brings you joy, it’s much easier to stick with it for the long haul.
3. Make Exercise Part of Your Routine
Consistency is key to making exercise a habit. The best way to stay motivated is to incorporate it into your daily routine. Set a specific time each day to work out, whether it’s in the morning, during lunch, or after work. Treat it like any other important appointment on your calendar.
If you find it hard to commit to long workouts, start small. Even a 10- to 20-minute workout is better than skipping it altogether. The more you integrate exercise into your schedule, the more natural it becomes — and the easier it is to stick to.
4. Track Your Progress
Tracking your progress is a great way to stay motivated and see how far you’ve come. Keep a workout log, use fitness apps, or take photos to document your journey. Watching your strength increase, your endurance improve, or even seeing physical changes can be incredibly rewarding and motivate you to keep going.
It’s also helpful to track non-scale victories, like feeling more energetic, sleeping better, or lifting heavier weights. These improvements can be just as satisfying (if not more) than seeing a number drop on the scale.
5. Make It Social
Exercising with a friend or joining a fitness community can make workouts more fun and create a sense of accountability. When you have a workout buddy, you’re less likely to skip your session, and you’ll push each other to work harder. Plus, having someone to talk to during or after a workout can make the experience more enjoyable.
If you prefer solo workouts, consider joining online fitness groups or following fitness influencers for support and motivation. Engaging with others who share similar fitness goals can help you stay inspired and remind you that you’re not alone in your journey.
6. Celebrate Small Wins
Celebrate your progress, no matter how small. If you complete your first week of workouts, treat yourself to something special. Perhaps it’s a new workout outfit, a relaxing bath, or a movie night. By rewarding yourself for hitting milestones, you’ll associate exercise with positive feelings and encourage yourself to continue.
Even if you’ve been exercising for a while, it’s important to keep celebrating small victories — whether it’s achieving a personal best or simply sticking to your routine for another week.
7. Mix Things Up
Doing the same workout every day can quickly become boring, and boredom is one of the fastest ways to lose motivation. To keep things interesting, switch up your routine regularly. Try different types of workouts, challenge yourself with new exercises, or experiment with varying intensity levels. This variety not only keeps things fun but also helps you avoid plateaus in your progress.
Changing your workout routine also prevents overuse injuries by engaging different muscle groups, keeping your body guessing, and enhancing overall fitness.
8. Be Kind to Yourself
It’s important to remember that no one is perfect — including you. There will be days when you miss a workout or don’t feel like exercising. Instead of beating yourself up or feeling guilty, practice self-compassion. Life happens, and skipping one workout doesn’t undo all your hard work. Simply get back on track the next day and don’t let one setback derail your entire routine.
Being kind to yourself also means adjusting your goals as needed. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or burnt out, take a step back and reassess your goals. It’s okay to adjust them to fit your lifestyle and priorities.
9. Visualize Your Success
Visualization is a powerful tool for staying motivated. Picture yourself achieving your fitness goals — whether that’s running a race, feeling stronger, or simply being more energetic throughout the day. The more vividly you can imagine your success, the more motivated you will feel to take the steps necessary to achieve it.
Use vision boards, motivational quotes, or simply spend a few minutes each day visualizing how you’ll feel once you’ve reached your fitness goals.
What Could Make Eminem, the Rap God, Cry? Well, let’s just say it’s more than just his daughter Hailie Jade’s beautiful wedding dress. It’s a moment that’s tugging at everyone’s heartstrings—and then he dropped a bombshell! Keep reading for all the emotional details and the surprise that had everyone talking.
Are You Ready for Some Serious Tearjerkers?
Imagine the tough-as-nails rapper, who gave us hits like Lose Yourself, getting choked up. That’s right—Eminem, aka Marshall Mathers, actually cried in front of the world. And it wasn’t just any day—it was Hailie Jade’s wedding day. But wait, that’s not even the most surprising part! Hailie had some life-changing news to share, and it left Em absolutely speechless.
The Moment That Left Eminem Speechless (And Yes, It’s All on Video)
You think you’ve seen it all from Eminem? Think again. This isn’t just about a father seeing his daughter in her bridal gown—it’s about what came next. Eminem released this intimate footage in the emotional music video for his song Temporary, and fans are losing it.
The video takes us through a rollercoaster of feels, blending heartwarming clips of a young Hailie with the tearful moments leading up to her big day. And in one unforgettable scene, Hailie runs up to Eminem, clutching a blue jersey. But it wasn’t just any jersey. It had “Grandpa” emblazoned on the back, and when Em realized what that meant, his jaw hit the floor.
Yes, You Read That Right: Eminem Is Going to Be a Grandfather!
The clip shows a beaming Hailie handing over a baby scan photo to her stunned dad. “Grandpa Em” is about to be a real thing, and he could barely hold it together. This is the guy who’s faced feuds, controversies, and industry battles—but the news that he’s becoming a grandfather? That’s a different kind of fight.
Imagine a rap legend turning into a grandpa, right before your eyes. It’s enough to make anyone’s heart melt—and the internet, of course, went wild. From Twitter threads to Instagram stories, fans are flooding social media with their reactions.
The Emotional Lyrics That Had Fans Reaching for Tissues
The song Temporary isn’t just background music for this video. It’s the soundtrack to a chapter in Eminem’s life that’s all about vulnerability and love. The lyrics are like a love letter to Hailie, and they hit harder than any diss track.
“A lot of people ask me, am I afraid of death? The truth is, I think what scares me the most / Is not being able to say all the things I wanna say to you / When I’m no longer here,” the song begins, setting a somber tone. It’s clear this isn’t just about music; it’s about legacy.
And those old home videos? Pure nostalgia. Fans couldn’t help but feel a pang of emotion as scenes of little Hailie played alongside the grown-up version on her wedding day. Eminem’s eyes said it all—pride, love, and maybe just a hint of disbelief.
The Wedding Day That Left Us All in Tears
Who knew watching a rap icon get emotional could be so… relatable? The video captures the exact moment when Eminem sees Hailie in her bridal gown for the first time. His mouth literally drops open. Then, as they share a father-daughter hug, he tries to play it cool—putting on those signature shades—but his trembling shoulders give him away.
You know what they say, even legends have their soft spots. And in this case, it’s his daughter.
In another scene, Eminem struggles to keep his composure as he reads a heartfelt letter from Hailie. Cue the waterworks. Fans got to see a side of Eminem that’s usually hidden behind tough rhymes and sharp lyrics.
How Did Fans React? Let’s Just Say, the Comments Are Wild
If you thought this story couldn’t get more emotional, you haven’t seen the comments section. From fans reminiscing about Eminem’s early days to new listeners discovering the man behind the music, everyone’s got something to say. Here are just a few reactions:
“Eminem as a grandpa? I’m not crying, you are.”
“Who knew the Rap God could be this soft?”
“This video just shattered my tough guy image of Em in the best way.”
A Walk Down Memory Lane: Why Temporary Hits So Hard
It’s not just the visuals that make this video unforgettable. The song itself is packed with references to Eminem’s journey as a father and a reflection on the highs and lows. “Sweetie, get up, I know that this is breaking your heart,” he raps, addressing Hailie directly. It’s a far cry from the brash, rebellious lyrics of his early days.
But it’s not all sad vibes. Temporary offers a message of hope, reminding Hailie (and listeners) that “there’s gonna be rainy days” but they’ll get through it. It’s like a musical pep talk from a dad who’s seen it all.
How Hailie Reacted—and What She Revealed on Her Podcast
Shortly after the video dropped, Hailie took to her podcast Just a Little Shady to share her thoughts. She admitted that the song “broke” her the first time she listened to it. “I audibly sobbed,” she confessed. And she wasn’t alone—fans everywhere echoed the same sentiment.
Hailie rarely talks about her dad in public, but she made an exception this time. She couldn’t hold back her appreciation for the man behind the music.
Eminem’s Big Announcement: The Death of Slim Shady and What It Means
The video for Temporary wasn’t just about family—it’s also a key part of Eminem’s latest album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce). Fans are already calling it a masterpiece, with the deeply personal tracklist marking a shift from his typical bravado. Could this be the start of a new chapter for the Rap God?
And with the video release coinciding with Hailie’s pregnancy announcement, the timing couldn’t be more poetic. It’s a passing of the torch—from the chaotic Slim Shady days to a more reflective Marshall Mathers.
What Does This All Mean for Eminem’s Legacy?
With over 25 years in the game, Eminem’s influence is undeniable. But now, it’s his role as a father—and soon-to-be grandfather—that’s taking center stage. The video for Temporary gives us a glimpse of a man who’s reflecting on his life, his mistakes, and the love that’s kept him grounded.
So, will we see “Grandpa Em” on the mic anytime soon? Only time will tell, but one thing’s for sure—his fans are ready for whatever comes next.
A Look Back at Hailie and Her Relationship with Eminem
We’ve all watched Hailie grow up through Eminem’s lyrics—from Hailie’s Song to Mockingbird. But this latest chapter is all about Hailie’s own life and the love between a dad and his daughter. And now, with a baby on the way, it’s a new beginning for the Mathers family.
And for fans who’ve followed this story for decades, it’s a reminder that even the toughest people have a soft side. Watching Eminem break down in tears over his daughter’s happiness and his future grandchild is a testament to that.
What’s Next? Share Your Thoughts Below!
What do you think about Eminem’s emotional reveal? Did the video for Temporary hit you as hard as it hit us? Drop your thoughts in the comments! And don’t forget to share this article if you can’t get enough of this touching side of the rap legend.
September brings exciting new developments for fitness lovers, from cutting-edge retreats to advanced Pilates studios and the latest must-have gear. Discover luxury wellness at Citius Retreats, explore personalised fitness at Core LDN, and experience the innovative ASICS Superblast 2 for runners. This month’s highlights redefine wellness and performance, offering fresh ways to elevate your fitness routine. Whether you’re seeking relaxation, enhanced recovery, or a fitness upgrade, September’s offerings are designed to help you stay ahead in the ever-evolving world of health and wellness.
First-of-its-kind Sports Medicine & Luxury Wellness Retreat
Citius Retreats sets a new standard in wellness by blending cutting-edge sports medicine with luxury relaxation. With retreats offered in picturesque locations like Ibiza, it provides tailored programs designed by top sports physicians, physical therapists, and wellness experts. Guests can indulge in personalised treatments that enhance recovery, performance, and overall well-being, all while enjoying five-star accommodations and gourmet, health-focused cuisine. Whether you’re an elite athlete or simply looking to rejuvenate, Citius Retreats promises a transformative experience that harmonises mind, body, and spirit in a way no other retreat can match.
Core LDN is anything but your standard ‘one size fits all’ Pilates studio, with personalisation deeply embedded in their philosophy. By seamlessly blending the principles of physiotherapy with the practice of Pilates, Core LDN provides bespoke sessions and services tailored to meet individual requirements. Whether you’re recovering from an injury, navigating the challenges of pre- or post-natal fitness, or working towards a specific fitness goal, their expert-led, physiotherapy-informed Pilates offers something for everyone. This approach ensures that each client receives the attention and care they need to achieve optimal results. Discover the unique and specialised offerings at Core LDN below.
Sweaty Betty and Hertility’s collaboration marks a significant step in the femtech space, offering women more than just stylish activewear. This partnership focuses on empowering women with tools and resources for understanding their reproductive health. Through a combination of chic, functional clothing designed for comfort and support, and Hertility’s cutting-edge fertility and hormone testing, this collaboration addresses the needs of modern women who prioritise both fitness and well-being. It’s a seamless blend of fashion and health tech, providing women with the knowledge and confidence to take charge of their bodies while looking and feeling their best.
Reformcore is Battersea’s latest fitness gem, offering a boutique experience that combines the best of Pilates and strength training. This studio emphasises small group classes, allowing for personalised attention and tailored workouts that ensure maximum results. The sleek, modern space is equipped with top-of-the-line reformers and functional training tools, creating an environment where fitness enthusiasts of all levels can thrive. Reformcore’s expert trainers bring a wealth of knowledge and passion, guiding members through challenging, yet accessible routines that focus on core stability, muscular endurance, and overall body toning. This new addition is a must-visit for those seeking a refined, effective fitness experience.
Heartcore’s On The Mat Infrared Pilates classes offer a fresh twist on its hot yoga cousin, combining the intensity of traditional practices with the benefits of infrared heat. Unlike hot yoga, these pilates sessions use infrared panels that warm the body directly, promoting deeper muscle relaxation and enhanced detoxification without the stifling heat. The classes focus on strength, flexibility, and mindfulness, all while enjoying the soothing warmth that penetrates deep into the muscles. This innovative approach allows for a more comfortable, yet equally effective workout, making it a perfect choice for those looking to elevate their workouts in a cool (well warm actually), modern setting.
Are you an athlete planning on training abroad? Traveling can be quite an exhausting task for anyone. From creating the itinerary and financing your trip to ensuring you’re where you need to be at the right time, it’s natural to be a little worn out by the time you actually arrive at your destination.
If you’re an athlete, the chances are you live by a fairly strict routine that allows you to consistently perform at your best. Unfortunately, traveling can significantly disrupt it by affecting your body, sleep cycles and even mood.
The good news is that there are some ways to help mitigate travel-related stress and ensure your training abroad is as effective as it can be.
Traveling can disrupt athlete’s daily rhythm and reduce physical performance. Source: depositphotos
Below are some of the most important practices athletes should consider while traveling.
Prioritize sleep and energy for training abroad
One thing that athletes can expect is short-term fatigue, headaches and even tummy upsets when switching time zones. Unfortunately, such disruption to the usual routine and environment doesn’t leave you in the best position to beat your PBs or bring your best to the next training session.
Jet lag is a prolonged form of travel fatigue that can have a negative effect on your form and fitness (until you adapt). It’s caused by disruption to your circadian rhythm as you move between time zones. Our sleep patterns can influence our cortisol levels, blood pressure, heart rate, hunger signals and even cognitive performance – all of which play a role in our endurance, strength, balance and flexibility.
Sunlight is a powerful signal our bodies use to regulate our circadian rhythm. However, when we travel and are exposed to artificial light for long periods of time, it can become disrupted. To avoid fatigue and jet-lag, try to sleep at your usual times as much as possible when traveling and expose yourself to as much light as possible in the morning of your new time zone. In the evenings you can use an eye mask and earplugs (or noise-canceling earbuds), as well as limit screen time to help improve sleep quality.
Hydrate and eat well
Flying exposes you to mild hypoxia (due to altitude) and dry air, which causes us to become dehydrated, often resulting in headaches and fatigue. To reduce your chances of feeling less than optimal, ensure you stay well-hydrated both on and off the plane.
Airplane food is not always the best choice for an athlete who is going for training abroad. Source: depositphotos
Though a great perk of traveling is the chance to taste new flavors and dishes, athletes should always bring snacks that are nutritionally dense, to have an option to fall back on in situation when healthy food is not available. In-flight meals may not meet all of your macro requirements, so it’s worth having your own food at the ready, if possible. Prioritize protein, healthy fats and whole foods to keep yourself as fit as possible while on the move.
Another common issue with traveling overseas is catching illnesses from stress of travelling, public transport, foreign food or a combination of those. Not only does poor sleep when traveling lowers our immune system, but the dry air on the plane dries out the mucus membranes in our respiratory system, removing another layer of protection against airborne bacteria.
You can reduce your chances of getting sick by using hand sanitizer regularly, wiping down headrests, armrests and other frequently touched surfaces, as well as keeping yourself hydrated. Eating with clean hands and opting for cooked, rather than raw, foods will help reduce the risk of eating any food which may upset your stomach.
The Resilient Athlete
A Self-Coaching Guide to Next Level Performance in Sports & Life
Are you aiming to become a resilient athlete who is able to withstand any pressure? Be able to jump on any opportunity? Take any challenge life throws at you head on?
Though it can be stressful to travel as an athlete, the tips above can help you to enjoy your trip as much as possible without compromising on your performance.
In this episode, Tina sits down with Josh Dech, a Crohn’s and colitis specialist, to explore the growing epidemic of gut health issues, with a focus on IBD and GI disorders. Josh sheds light on how modern food practices and generational dysbiosis contribute to declining gut health. He challenges common misconceptions about the genetic and autoimmune causes of IBD and emphasizes the pivotal role of diet, especially low-histamine foods. Josh also shares actionable strategies for managing IBD, discusses the impact of stress, and unpacks the role of parasites, offering valuable insights into symptoms and treatment options.
Here’s what you’ll learn:
Why we’re facing a growing epidemic of gut issues
Identifying who is most at risk for IBD and actionable steps to take
How modern food supply practices are damaging gut health
What is generational dysbiosis, and how does it affect your gut?
Debunking misconceptions about IBD, including its genetic and autoimmune links
Practical nutrition strategies to effectively manage IBD
Parasites and IBD: What symptoms to watch for and when to take action
Top supplements for reducing IBD flare-ups
Why randomly choosing probiotics may harm your gut—and what to do instead
You know, the guy who used to joke about having pecs that could cut diamonds1 and who also wrote a ton of content on this site?
Well, as you can see 1) I’m still alive, and 2) the website has had a bit of a facelift since I’ve last posted anything. I’m still getting used to it myself. Looks pretty legit, right? RIGHT???
The best movie I’ve seen so far this year is Sing, Sing.
I’m still jacked.
That’s pretty much it.
Although, if I am being honest, on that last point (the still being jacked part), I’ve been a little more “jacked up” than “jacked.”
I.e, the Cambridge Dictionary definition:
Having strong, well-developed muscles, especially as a result of working out
The fitness industry is likely one of the most fake and fickle industries out there. No where will you find more photoshopped images, self-aggrandizing, and exercises NO-ONE actually performs once the publish button has been pressed.
All of it in an effort to accrue maximum “likes,” comments, and/or potentially more clicks on that industrial strength diarrhea inducer detox tea affiliate link. More to the point, social media tends to be a facade of everyone’s best life. Decadent looking dinner plates on tables. Cat pics. Our best feats and accomplishments. Our best angles under good lighting.
I’m not judging or bemoaning anything. I do it too…to a degree.
Which segues into the inspiration behind my first piece of writing since the last solar eclipse.
Training (and by extension…Progress) Comes in Peaks and Valleys
This past March, while walking from my car to the gym, I slipped on a patch of black ice and did what can only be described as the “World’s Fastest and Most Un-Graceful Sissy Squat.”Both of my knees slammed into the pavement and I felt a slight pop in my right.
Needless to say it didn’t feel great. Thankfully, when all was said and done, I didn’t suffer a catastrophic injury, having ruled out any ligament tears or obvious structural damage. However, in the month’s since it’s been an on-going nuisance working around things in order to train and workout the way I am accustomed to.
While I have still been consistent with my training…
#findyourtrainablemenu #trainablemenu
…to say that I haven’t been frustrated would be an understatement. I’d say that from March of this past year to roughly two weeks ago, it’s been the worst stretch of training in my adult life. My desire to train was less than exemplary, there’s no question I was going through the motions, and not surprisingly all of my lifts took a bit of a hit.
And that’s kinda what I want to highlight.
I want to keep it real and remind people that there are always going to be inevitable speed bumps, road blocks, and general windows of clusterfuckery that will affect your training.
Progress is never going to be linear.
There will always be peaks AND valleys
Now, what causes those valleys to occur can be anyone’s guess:
Injury
Work and family obligations
Vacation
Season four of Slow Horses started.
Explosive diarrhea
It’s a Tuesday
The important thing to keep in mind is that, 1) despite what social media will lead you to believe, even those coaches/trainers/influencers you look up to the most have setbacks in their training (trust me) and 2) setbacks are normal and will undoubtedly happen.
There are a handful of strategies I’d encourage you to try when this happens.
1. Again, I can’t reiterate this enough…it’s normal
It won’t last forever, it will pass
2. Reframe and Prioritize a New Lift or Body Part
If your knees are cranky and you can’t hit your lower body as aggressively as you’d like, it might be an opportune time to prioritize your bench or overhead press or, I don’t know, your kipping pull-ups.
Except, there’s never an opportune time to prioritize kipping pull-ups because they’re absurd.
3. Find Your Trainable Menu
Pigging back on the above, focus on what you CAN do rather than what you CAN’T do. I have never had a client who was working around an injury show up for a session and not feel better by the end of it because they did something.
4. Choose One Lift, Do That, and Leave
I actually like this approach a lot when I am feeling beat up (or traveling). Psychologically speaking there’s something to it. I know that if my intention is to train one lift hard and that’s all I plan to do for that particular training session it helps set me up for success. As an example it may look something like this:
A. Barbell Romanian Deadlift – Work up to 1×5 @ RPE 8
B. Accumulate 15 total reps at 90% of top set above.
C. Wu-Tang is for the children.
Of course there are a plethora of other scenarios and options to choose from, but those are the ones that come up at the top of my head. I hope they help.
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Heart disease is a silent killer, claiming millions of lives each year. While we often associate it with high cholesterol and saturated fats, there are other, less obvious culprits that can contribute to this serious condition.
You might think you’re on the right track with your diet, having swapped fast food for salads and sodas for sparkling water. But what if some seemingly innocent foods in your kitchen are secretly undermining your heart health efforts?
Let’s explore five common foods that might be doing more harm than good to your heart, and learn how to make smarter choices for optimal cardiovascular health.
Refined Grains: The Sneaky Culprits
Refined grains, often found in white bread, pasta, and white rice, are processed to remove their fiber content. This seemingly small change has significant consequences for your heart health.
Without fiber, refined grains are quickly digested, causing blood sugar levels to spike. Chronic high blood sugar can damage blood vessels and increase the risk of heart disease. A study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that consuming a diet high in refined grains was associated with a higher risk of heart disease.
Better alternatives: Opt for whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa, and whole-wheat bread. These contain fiber and other nutrients that help regulate blood sugar levels and are rich in B vitamins, magnesium, and iron – all essential for heart health.
Canned Soups: A Salty Surprise
Soups are often considered a healthy and hearty meal, especially those loaded with vegetables and protein. However, many canned and pre-made soups contain excessive sodium, which can be detrimental to heart health.
The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting sodium intake to 2,300 milligrams per day. Shockingly, many canned soups contain more than half of this daily limit in just one serving.
Sodium’s impact on heart health: Excessive sodium intake can lead to high blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease. High blood pressure can damage blood vessels and increase the heart’s workload, potentially leading to heart failure and stroke.
Tips for reducing sodium intake in soups:
Choose low-sodium canned soups or make homemade soups
Season your soups with herbs and spices instead of salt
Rinse canned beans and vegetables to remove excess sodium
Fruit Juice: A Sweet Deception
Many of us grew up with a glass of orange juice in the morning, thinking it was a great way to add fruits to our daily diet. However, fruit juice often contains high amounts of added sugar, which can contribute to weight gain, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome.
The dangers of added sugar:
Excessive sugar intake can lead to inflammation, which is linked to heart disease. It can also increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a major risk factor for heart disease.
Tips for choosing healthier fruit options:
Eat whole fruits instead of drinking fruit juice
If you do drink fruit juice, choose 100% pure fruit juice with no added sugars
Limit your intake of fruit juice to no more than 1 cup per day
Red Meat: A Fatty Friend
Red meat, while a source of protein, is often high in saturated and unhealthy fats. These fats can raise cholesterol levels, contributing to the buildup of plaque in the arteries, leading to atherosclerosis and an increased risk of heart disease.
The role of cholesterol in heart disease: Cholesterol is a waxy substance that can build up in your arteries, forming plaque. Plaque can narrow your arteries, making it harder for blood to flow, and increasing your risk of heart attack and stroke.
Tips for reducing your intake of red meat:
Choose lean cuts of red meat, such as sirloin or round steak
Limit your intake of red meat to no more than 12 ounces per week
Replace red meat with plant-based protein sources, such as beans, lentils, and tofu
Low-Fat Dairy Products: Not Always a Healthier Choice
The rise of low-fat dairy products was once a popular health trend, and the belief that low-fat diets are always healthier persists. However, some low-fat dairy products may contain high amounts of added sugar or unhealthy fats.
Additionally, the processing involved in making low-fat dairy products can reduce the natural nutrients and probiotics found in full-fat dairy products, which can play a role in heart health.
The benefits of full-fat dairy products: Studies have shown that consuming full-fat dairy products may be associated with a lower risk of heart disease. This may be due to the presence of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a type of fatty acid found in full-fat dairy products that has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties.
Tips for choosing healthier dairy products:
Choose full-fat dairy products that are plain or unsweetened
Limit your intake of processed dairy products, such as yogurt with added sugars
If you have high cholesterol, talk to your doctor about whether full-fat dairy products are right for you
Summary
While many of these foods are considered healthy, excessive consumption can contribute to heart disease risk. The key to a heart-healthy diet is moderation and balance. By choosing whole foods, limiting processed foods, and paying attention to portion sizes, you can help protect your heart health.
The heart of a heart-healthy eating pattern is a Mediterranean diet. This diet emphasizes whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and olive oil. It also includes lean protein sources, such as fish and poultry. Limiting red meat, processed foods, and added sugars is also important.
By being mindful of these surprising food culprits and embracing a balanced, Mediterranean-style diet, you can take significant steps towards maintaining a healthy heart and reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease.
