Are you a woman over 40 who’s been wondering whether strength training is right for you? Or maybe you’ve had some experience with strength training but are no longer seeing results. If this is you, keep listening. Today we’ll cover:
- How strength training helps build AND maintain muscle mass.
- The hormonal benefits strength training has on perimenopause and beyond.
- Common mistakes women make when strength training and more importantly how to avoid them.
So, grab your favorite beverage, go for a walk, or settle in and get cozy as we dive in. Want to listen instead? Tune in here.
Welcome to Small Daily Habits, the podcast where we talk all things health, habits, and lasting change for women in midlife! I’m your host, Christine Miller, personal trainer, menopause specialist, and FASTer Way to Fat Loss Coach.
Today, we’re diving into one of my favorite topics, strength training and why it’s a game-changer for building muscle, balancing hormones, revving up that metabolism, and helping you look and feel your best.
Why Strength Training Matters for Women in Midlife
First, let’s talk about why strength training has to be one of our non-negotiables as we age. According to research, each decade from age 30 on, we begin involuntarily losing muscle mass at a rate of about 3-8% per decade. This process is called sarcopenia. This isn’t just about aesthetics ladies, it’s about how this slows down your metabolism, weakens bone density, and overall loss of strength and function.
I don’t know about you, but I want to run, jump and get down on the floor with my future grandkids. I want to travel the world with my husband. And I don’t want to feel weak, tired, and in pain while doing it. This is my why, so you better believe strength training is at the top of my list of non-negotiables with each passing year.
Without strength training, that muscle loss can lead to:
• A slower metabolism (meaning weight gain becomes much easier). With excess weight comes more health issues as well.
• Increased risk of osteoporosis (Resistance training = strong bones).
• More aches, pains, and chances of injuries (less muscle = more stress on the body and joints).
But the good news is that lifting weights helps prevent all of this. When you challenge your muscles, they respond by growing stronger, maintaining a lean, toned, and healthy body while also supporting your bones and joints.
How Strength Training Balances Hormones
Now, let’s talk about our hormones. All stages of menopause bring hormonal shifts our bodies need to adjust to. One of the best tools to combat this is strength training. Here’s why:
- Boosts production of the human growth hormone (HGH) as well as testosterone. Both help build, repair, and preserve muscle mass. We need these to stay strong as we age!
- Regulates insulin sensitivity: Strength training helps your body use carbohydrates more efficiently, reducing the risk of insulin resistance and keeps pesky belly fat at bay.
- Reduces cortisol which we know as the stress hormone. Activities such as chronic cardio and overexercising have been known to increase cortisol levels, leading to unwanted belly fat. On the other hand, strength training lowers cortisol over time and helps you feel stronger and more energized.
- Supports estrogen and progesterone balance: Strength training can help minimize the hormonal ups and downs that contribute to mood swings, fatigue, and stubborn weight gain.
So, if you’ve been struggling with stubborn belly fat, mood swings, or energy dips throughout the day, it’s time to make strength training your new best friend.
Common Mistakes Made and How to Avoid Them
Now that I’ve shared the benefits of strength training and you understand why it’s so powerful, let’s talk about the biggest mistakes I see women making (me included) and more importantly how to fix them to get the best results.
1. Not Lifting Heavy Enough
I was guilty of this for so long. I grew up as a dancer but I was built like a gymnast so I believed that the heavier I lifted the less I would look like a dancer. So, I stuck to body weight exercises and 5–10 pound weights for a good part of my life. It wasn’t until I hit 40 that I started to question this, and I find that I’m not the only one. Many women I work with tend to stick to lighter weights and higher reps, but if you want to build muscle and boost metabolism, you need to challenge your muscles more with heavier weights.
The Fix:
- Use a weight that feels challenging by the last few reps. For example, if you are doing 10 reps of any given exercise then reps 8-10 should almost feel like you aren’t going to make it. If you are doing a timed exercise those last 5-10 seconds should feel the same way.
- Practice progressive overload. That means gradually increasing weight over time. This is key for muscle growth.
2. Doing Too Much Cardio and Not Enough Strength Training
So many women rely on cardio for fat loss, but excessive cardio as you reach perimenopause age can actually contribute to rising cortisol levels which is the stress hormone responsible for stubborn belly fat. This can also contribute to muscle loss over time.
The Fix:
- Shift your focus from cardio to strength training 3-4 days per week. If you are new to strength training you can start with 2-3 days and work your way up.
- Incorporate shorter, high-intensity cardio sessions (like HIIT) instead of long, exhausting workouts. Remember that high intensity does NOT have to mean high impact. I think a common misconception about HIIT is that it’s a lot of jumping. It can be but it doesn’t have to be. Modify. Instead of doing a squat jump just do a squat and go up on your tip toes. You can still reach your arms up over your head to bring up that heart rate but you never have to leave the floor.
3. Skipping Recovery & Protein
Do you know when muscles actually grow? It’s not during your workouts. It’s during your rest and recovery. So, if you’re not properly fueling your body after a workout or you’re skipping over rest and recovery days, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you will not see muscle growth.
Rest, recovery, and increasing protein intake are the only ways to see gains for the hard work you put in. The work doesn’t stop with the workouts. It’s your responsibility to care for your body afterwards as well. Ladies, this is supposed to be the easy part. I know for some of you it’s actually the hard part but trust the process and give your body the rest and recovery it needs and go make yourself a big smoothie. Here is a smoothie guide to help you refuel. Looking for a clean protein to add to your smoothies? The FASTer Way has chocolate and vanilla options.
The Fix:
- Aim to eat 30+g of protein per meal (or around .7-1g per pound of body weight)
- Prioritize rest days and quality sleep. Hormones like HGH and melatonin play a large role in recovery.
4. Sticking to the Same Routine for Too Long
If you’ve been doing the same workout for months with the exact same reps and weights, I’m willing to bet you are no longer seeing results. It’s time to mix things up. As a FASTer Way Coach the app offers a new workout daily. No repeats. It keeps the body guessing and when we do repeat some standard exercises like squats and lunges we encourage you to do something better each time. Whether that be focusing on better form, speed, or higher weights/reps. And every 4-6 weeks we change up the format a bit.
The Fix:
- Change your routine every 4-6 weeks by adjusting reps, sets, weights, and modalities.
- Challenge different muscle groups with compound movements like squats, deadlifts, and presses.
Final Thoughts
Ladies, if you’re not strength training yet, there is no better time than now to begin! It’s truly one of the best things you can do for your body, metabolism, and hormones in midlife. Want to join me in my next 6-week round with the FASTer Way to Fat Loss? Join here. Need more information about the program? Email me at [email protected] and I’d be happy to answer all your questions.
Recap Action Plan:
- Strength train 3-4 times per week (start small and build).
- Lift weights that challenge you!
- Prioritize protein, recovery, and sleep to support muscle growth.
- Avoid excessive cardio—strength first, cardio second. Cardio has it’s place, it’s just not first.
- Stay consistent and adjust your routine every 4-6 weeks.
That’s it for today’s episode! I hope this gave you the clarity you needed and the motivation to begin embracing strength training as a powerful tool for your health and hormones. If you found this helpful, I’d love for you to share it with a friend and while you are at it, I’d be so grateful if you subscribed and wrote a review.
And if you’re looking for structured workouts and guidance, check out my FASTer Way to Fat Loss 6 week program. A new round begins Monday March 24th. I’d love to support you in getting stronger, leaner, and more confident in your body. Meet me back here next week as we do a deep dive into intermittent fasting, the benefits as well as some reasons it may not be right for you.
And remember, BIG changes begin with Small Daily Habits. Until next time…
Last week I interviewed long time friend and colleague Sara Dimmick about her journey with perimenopause and HRT. If you missed it you can listen here. Don’t forget to check out the show notes for all the wonderful resources Sara shared.
Wishing you much love, health, and happiness,
Christine
