Begin exercising early in life, treating it initially as play and gradually transitioning into various types of exercise, as this builds a strong foundation that makes it easier to maintain fitness throughout life.
Encourage young girls to participate in a variety of different sports rather than specializing early, as this helps accelerate the development of diverse muscles and movement patterns.
Incorporate total body resistance training (e.g., with bands, lightweights, plyometrics, or medicine balls) for young girls to prevent injuries, a crucial aspect often overlooked by coaches.
Actively implement lifestyle behavior changes in exercise and nutrition during the perimenopause window (late 30s to 50s), as this period significantly impacts metabolism, muscle, bone, and fat distribution, with lifelong health benefits.
Aim for body recomposition (losing fat and gaining muscle) rather than solely focusing on weight loss, as weight may not change or even increase while overall health and body composition improve.
If using GLP-1 agonists for weight loss, absolutely prioritize resistance training to maintain lean mass and improve muscle quality, as these drugs can accelerate muscle and bone loss if not managed proactively.
When on GLP-1 agonists, target a high protein intake (e.g., 130-150 grams/day for a 150lb woman) and consistently consume protein (e.g., 30 grams evenly spaced throughout the day) to preserve muscle and optimize amino acid availability around workouts.
Monitor your bleeding patterns and hormonal changes (e.g., using at-home urine analyses) to understand what is normal for your body, identify when changes occur, and feel empowered to address any issues.
While women can train at any point in their menstrual cycle, be aware that performance and recovery may be impacted during certain phases (e.g., luteal phase), requiring more focus on recovery strategies and self-grace.
During the luteal phase, if experiencing severe inflammation or heightened anxiety/depression, consider increasing omega-3 intake (2-3 grams) to help down-regulate inflammation.
Consider supplementing with zinc and magnesium, particularly during the luteal phase, to assist with vasodilation, improve sleep, and support overall recovery.
Creatine (load with 20g/day for 5 days, then 5-10g/day maintenance) can help pull extracellular fluid into cells, potentially reducing bloating in the luteal phase and supporting performance.
Caffeine might be more effective in combating increased fatigue experienced during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle.
Aim for adequate protein intake (around 1.6 g/kg or 1 g/lb of goal weight) consistently throughout the day, especially around workouts, to support muscle protein synthesis and recovery, particularly for aging muscle.
Avoid long gaps between meals without protein consumption to maintain a steady supply of amino acids in the bloodstream, which is crucial for muscle maintenance and overall metabolic health.
Starting in your 30s, get regular blood work (e.g., Day 5 FSH) to monitor hormonal changes as you approach perimenopause, providing individual baseline data for proactive health management.
For busy women with limited exercise time (e.g., 3 hours/week), prioritize consistency and intensity over high volume to achieve health benefits and improvements in cardiovascular fitness more quickly.
Utilize ’exercise snacks’ – short periods of higher intensity training – to fit effective physical activity into busy schedules.
For general midlife women, prioritize a few days a week of whole-body progressive resistance training (e.g., two 30-minute sessions at 60-80% of one-rep max, 6-8 reps, with 30-second rests between exercises).
Alongside resistance training, incorporate two to three days of aerobic exercise, ensuring at least one (ideally two) high-intensity interval training (HIIT) sessions per week.
For HIIT, consider performing up to 10 sets of one minute on (at 90-110% of max effort, where you couldn’t sustain for 1:20) followed by one minute off, which can be completed in approximately 20 minutes total.
When aiming for weight loss, set realistic goals based on body composition measurements (e.g., targeting a healthy body fat percentage) rather than arbitrary past weights that might necessitate unhealthy muscle loss.
To lose fat, create a slight calorie deficit while prioritizing nutrient-dense foods such as fiber (for satiety), adequate protein, and complex carbohydrates.
Be cautious with chronic time-restricted eating, as it can lower metabolism, negatively impact hunger hormones, and adversely affect protein synthesis and muscle in women, especially in midlife.
To achieve and maintain leanness, prioritize eating more whole foods consistently throughout the day (e.g., 30 grams of protein, fiber, and vegetables evenly spaced) to stimulate metabolism and ensure sufficient macro/micronutrient intake.
Know your individual body fat set point, as going below it can increase your susceptibility to injuries like stress fractures, even if the percentage appears ’normal’ by general standards.
Recognize signs of under-consumption, such as severe gastrointestinal distress or extended periods without eating, particularly in relation to training schedules.
During pregnancy, treat birth as an athletic event and train for it by exercising consistently, prioritizing resistance training (e.g., squats, lats) up until delivery, and slowly increasing calories for a slight surplus.
After natural delivery, start walking within a couple of days and light resistance training within a couple of weeks, gradually returning to normal exercise routines.
If experiencing aversions to animal proteins during pregnancy, prioritize plant-based proteins to ensure adequate nutritional intake for both mother and baby.
Be aware of potential postpartum gastrointestinal distress (e.g., lactose intolerance) and prioritize liquid foods, protein shakes, omega-3, and creatine to aid recovery and maintain nutrition while nursing and managing sleep deprivation.
Make nutrition a key priority during pregnancy, focusing on a variety of fruits and vegetables to support the baby’s neural development and gut health.
Exercise is crucial during pregnancy; if you haven’t exercised before, start with something, and if you’ve always exercised, continue, as current guidance supports this for better maternal and fetal outcomes.
Engage in consistent resistance training to combat sarcopenia, which disproportionately affects women, especially as muscle quality changes significantly during perimenopause.
Focus on lifestyle changes, including exercise and nutrition, during perimenopause to maintain muscle size and quality, as this period is critical for preventing significant declines in muscle quality.
Regular exercise, particularly high-intensity interval training (HIIT), enhances metabolic flexibility, stimulating fat oxidation regardless of hormonal status or age.
Consuming protein around training (as opposed to primarily carbohydrates) or opting for lower glycemic index carbohydrates can help optimize metabolic flexibility post-high-intensity workouts.
If using hormone replacement therapy, combine it with lifestyle behaviors (exercise and nutrition) for synergistic benefits in relieving symptoms and improving overall health, as lifestyle changes are still crucial.
Avoid rigid, black-and-white thinking about exercise; doing any form of physical activity is always better than doing nothing, and women should be empowered to engage in activities they enjoy.
Leverage traditional strength and conditioning research (even if primarily based on male subjects) for women, as the female muscle responds similarly, with modifications for recovery, rest, or joint pain as needed.
Actively work to preserve power (e.g., through jumping, bouncing, or controlled explosive movements) at all ages, as it is crucial for regaining footing and preventing falls in daily life.
For perimenopausal and menopausal women experiencing joint pain, consider if hormone replacement therapy could be a solution, as pain can significantly impede the ability to train effectively.
Regardless of age (e.g., 65-70 years old), it is never too late to begin an exercise routine; you can gain strength and muscle at any age, thereby taking control of your health span.
For older adults new to exercise, it is highly recommended to hire a personal trainer (seeking referrals and checking credentials) to teach proper form, safe progression, and build confidence.
For older adults, begin with a total body resistance program focusing on glute activation, push-pull exercises for all major muscle groups, and calf work to improve stability and prevent falls.
Start older adults with machine-based, controlled resistance training rather than free weights, and incorporate resistance bands for neuromuscular activation (e.g., glutes) to build foundational strength.
For older adults, aim for three days a week of resistance training (e.g., every other day to allow for recovery) and some form of movement or aerobic exercise on most other days.
For older adults, once able to perform exercises deloaded safely, introduce low-resistance carries (e.g., with dumbbells) and grip strength exercises, using submaximal efforts (e.g., 1 minute on, 1 minute off).
Recognize the profound positive impact of both resistance and aerobic exercise on mental health, including reducing anxiety, depression, and brain fog, and improving focus.
Be cautious of rigid, black-and-white rules about exercise or nutrition (e.g., ‘only do this,’ ’never do that’), as individual needs vary, and consistency is often more important than strict adherence to a single method.
While supplements like creatine can be helpful, understand they are not magical solutions and should not be the first priority, especially for midlife women; prioritize effective training and nutrition first.
Women should actively advocate for themselves, be informed about what symptoms are hormone-driven versus what can be overcome with lifestyle changes, and seek medical help when needed, especially regarding hormone therapy, without accepting invalidation.
For individuals with limited training volume (e.g., a couple of hours a week), understand that workouts need to be pushed harder (closer to failure for strength, higher intensity for cardio) to achieve significant progress beyond initial adaptations.
Be aware that many people mistakenly perform ‘zone two’ workouts at too low an intensity (zone one), resulting in minimal training effect; understand the precise intensity required for effective training versus recovery.