The Flipping 50 Show

The combination of menopause and the pandemic may make this topic - the influence of skeletal muscle on aging - one we’re talking about for decades. If you’re a woman within 10 years of menopause or you’re post menopause you want to pay attention. Sponsor Flipping 50’s Master Class on research in 2020 and what it means for your workouts and your post workout nutrition. I’ll soon be announcing the opening of the next STRONGER program for women, to build, rebuild, and make you better at aging than you will be without it.  I’ve got the expert on skeletal muscle health and aging here to talk about the mix of resistance exercise, protein intake, and supplements, and their combined effects on your body composition … and really quality of your life as you age. My Guest Dr Stuart Phillips Director at the McMaster Centre for Nutrition, Exercise, and Health Research at McMaster University. An expert in Skeletal Muscle Health in Aging. Questions & Discussion in this Episode: Please share for listeners your why. Of all sports, exercise, health topics, why skeletal muscle, aging and sarcopenia? Twenty-five years ago I was educating people on the term osteoporosis. Now it’s mainstream. In the last 5 years sarcopenia has begun to be more mainstream, but it’s still not widely known. This significant muscle loss, that occurs or can without adequate measures to prevent it, do you have a preferred definition or way to describe it? Loss of mass? Loss of strength? Effects of Loss of Muscle on Aging Loss of muscle as we age, slows the metabolism, resulting in an increase of body fat. Women in our listening audience are often experiencing both dropping hormone levels effecting muscle breakdown and fluctuating hormone levels that create symptoms that disrupt exercise participation. Hot flashes, night sweats, fatigue … all not conducive to energy to exercise. Your research and your lab tries to answer what factors serve to maintain, increase, or decrease skeletal muscle mass?  In fact one of your recent publications was co-authored with Douglass Paddon-Jones  - who was a guest just a couple months ago – the research was on Optimizing adult protein intake during catabolic health conditions. Let’s talk about that – first, what qualifies as “catabolic health conditions”? What would you say of a pandemic where women in menopause in stages of late perimenopause and early post menopause can have an accelerated loss of muscle, are suddenly exercising at home, with a shortage of dumbbells? Is that also a catabolic state? Prevent Skeletal Muscle Losses In order to prevent muscle losses, as opposed to having to overcome sarcopenia – or significant muscle loss – what are your recommendations for protein intake, or supplementation where someone may be feeling they can’t inject enough? Resistance exercise-induced changes in muscle metabolism are load-dependent.  Published in the journal of Medicine Science, Sports & Exercise in 2019. Listeners vary widely in their ability, and possibly motivation, to use heavier weights, so where muscle is concerned (though listeners please done confuse that with bone) reaching fatigue with lighter weight and more repetition is the way we program when heavy weights are not an option. Adequate Stimulus  A study Dr Philips authored in the Journal of Physiology (2019) is titled Muscle fibre activitation is unaffected by load and repetition duration when resistance exercise is performed to task failure. The importance of physical activity toward health has always been apparent to people like you and I. In the current situation we’re in with people at home, dealing with emotional roller coaster and lack of predictable future, do you have anything to add about the importance of physical activity in 2020 and into 2021? The influence of skeletal muscle on aging is clear. Without muscle you have reduced metabolism, increased fat, and ultimately loss of independence.  Resources: December Master Class: 2020 Menopause Fitness research STRONGER: Tone & Define (Jan 1-March 31, 2021)  Flipping 50's 90 Day Journal  Flipping 50's January 2021 Virtual Retreat

It’s always nice to know someone you follow, with education and knowledge, also has that one factor that makes her more valuable than anything else. That? Is what I call the “get you” factor. My guest today has it. And stay tuned … your inner I want to join the circus girl may just love today… Do You Have It? But first? That “get you” factor? That’s why my Flipping 50 Fitness Specialist 2.0 program is filling with women who are or want to be health coaches and personal trainers. When you are a woman in midlife, you get women in midlife. And a poll of our 170,000 community members reveals over 80% of them want a trainer who is female and is at least over the age of 35. You are who she wants to work with. If you can related to loving a job where you serve and help women with daily choices and habits that naturally support hormone balance – whether a woman is or is not on HRT – then now is your time. Enrollment Open We are accepting applications right now for the 10-month mastermind and the sooner you start your course work, the more ready you’ll be for the Jan 14 first session. Link to the next masterclass in show notes. When we close this class, we don’t  have another scheduled. My Guest Suzannah Bianco is a Holistic Health Coach and performer for Cirque Du Soleil. Her interest in health coaching began as an athlete under vigorous training demands. She went from being a synchronized swimming Olympic Gold Medalist, to performing with Cirque Du Soleil and having children soon after. As a “do it all” mom and chronically little sleep, she realized the conventional system was failing in addressing her fatigue, weight gain, brain fog, bloating, uncomfortable digestion, and low libido. This interest turned into a passion for healing herself.  Suzannah’s journey of researching and experimenting led to her to lifestyle changes, nutrition and targeted supplementation. She was able to regain all-day energy, regulate her digestive system, and address her other maladies. To deepen her knowledge and assist others, she became both a certified Holistic Health Coach and Hormone Coach. Questions We Answer on this Episode: First, how old are you currently? Share a little about your experience of performing and what must be a unique ‘exercise’ regimen for 23 years. You mentioned as we talked your needs for multiple forms of movement. Say a little more about that. You also had downward spiraling journey of fatigue. What was that like and how did it first set in? In order to improve, what kinds of lifestyle changes did you have to make that supported your body and hormones? What mistakes were you making that now having become a coach you recognize as common mistakes women in midlife make? Usually on this journey a woman learns more about her unique biochemistry and the kinds of training and supplements that made a difference in supporting her body and hormones. What did you learn about yourself? As an athlete, often used to pushing through pain, and warning signals, what has been your relationship with pain and how did that impede or speed your improvement? What led you to host this upcoming summit? Tell us about it and what’s in store for listeners who attend? Link to the Powerful Perimenopause summit: https://powerfulperimenopause.com/Debra Connect on Social: Instagram  Facebook    Flippingfifty.com/circus

This post is a response to a question women ask about "How many  times a week should you strength train?" It also aims to clarify confusion about how to progress and mistakes most commonly made by both trainers and exercisers. This episode is sponsored by the Flipping 50 Fitness Specialist 2.0. The 12-month program includes an 8 week course on hormone balancing exercise and a 10-month coaching program for health coaches and personal trainers who want and need to grow their brand and know now is the time. Learn more.  Two steps to increasing lean muscle adequate stimulus adequate recover  -rest -sleep -nutrition  Your recovery is influenced by 3 things: genetics training status  age Ways you can enhance recover:  light intensity movement, foam rolling, stretching, yoga, water exercise/swimming, epsom salt baths Nutrition recovery includes: alkalinity, adequate high quality protein and overall calories, hydration, optimal timing, even distribution, adequate micronutrient sufficiency The most forgotten component of fitness - and I wrote about this in my book, You Still Got It, Girl! - is rest & recovery. Most women in midlife walk a narrow road without wiggle room when it comes to fatigue and stress.  Making exercise a part of that stress is unnecessary. It then has a negative impact on fatigue.  Questions I answer in this episode: How many times a week should you strength train if you're a beginner?  How many times a week should you strength train if you're more advanced?  What about 30 day challenges for squats, pull ups, etc? Why isn't more better?  Signs you're not recovered: soreness achy joints fatigue/tiredness increased cravings & appetite lack of muscle tissue for the effort you're putting in excess fat or water retention  moodiness, lethargy flat workouts Resources mentioned in this episode: Stronger  Flipping 50 membership  Flipping 50 Fitness Specialist 2.0 Show notes: flippingfifty-dot-com/how-many-times  

Better sex after in menopause with laughter? The joke’s on us! Think you’re ready for this episode? It’s all fun and games until… well, no, actually today it is all fun and games in this episode. My Guest: Karyn Buxman is a TEDx speaker, successful author—and a neurohumorist (she lives at the intersection of humor and the brain.) A pioneer in the emerging science of applied humor, Karyn helps high performers expand their influence, strengthen their relationships, and boost their resilience. From the Mayo Clinic to the Million Dollar Round Table, organizations around the world hire Karyn to educate, inspire, and entertain their audiences again and again. She’s one of 254 people (and only 53 women) in the world to be inducted into the National Speakers Association's Speaker Hall of Fame. Her latest book, Funny Means Money will be published by Forbes Books in 2021. Karyn is serious about humor! Questions we answer in today’s episode: How can humor help women over 50? What if I'm not funny? What if I think I’m funny and laugh harder than anyone else at my jokes? Can humor really improve your love life? (and you’ve done the primary research on this? Can you tell us a little about the methodology?) Listeners are thinking, how in the world can humor help me lose weight? and Better Sex? Mic Drop moments: Humor appreciator vs humor initiator You need to see the funny more than be funny. Your URL to send listeners: MyCovidRecoveryToolkit.com Connect with Karyn on social media: LinkedIn Instagram: @Karyn_Buxman Twitter: @KarynBuxman

Successful habit change is the topic of this post. Staying on track during the holidays or stressful times is hard. How do you keep going toward something new as you have more resistance than ever? I want to revisit a topic that is important this time of year as well as in the New Year when so many of us begin to think about. Self-sabotage is something that I regularly talk about, so that you are aware of it, why it happens, and that it in fact is likely to show up for you in some way. Why We Self-Sabotage Why do I self-sabotage? Was the topic of one of the first Flipping 50 TV episodes I did and that was on purpose. It’s a topic that comes up so often for our community. By midlife we can all look back and say, why did I screw that up when it was going so well? Why did I stop doing xyz when it was working? Why did I start abc when I know that will derail me? I’ve touched on the answers to those questions in other posts, blogs, and I’ll point you to the Flipping 50 TV episode here. Here in this post I want to approach it in a slightly different way. You may have found your way to Flipping 50 for fitness and exercise and hormone balancing physical activity expertise. There’s more to it than a workout or a protein shake, though. There’s always a psychological component to any physical changes we make or want to. Today I want to address the things that are so necessary for you to have or to cultivate if you don’t have them yet so you can have change or transformation you want. 3 Things for Successful Habit Change Belief you can Belief people around you believe in you Ability to see the past as data for growth Whether you’re starting a new goal or you’re stuck in a rut unable to change these things are part of success. If you’re stuck, you need challenge to get over the plateau. Belief that you can is a matter of confidence. You need to re-establish your confidence. We don’t get strong while we’re doing easy things. We get strong doing hard things. It’s as true for our minds and thoughts as it is for our muscles and bones. Lifting heavy weights to muscular fatigue is required for muscle and bone. Going through challenging times or situations is required to gain confidence. Take Back Your Power We often allow someone else to be responsible for our confidence or lack of it. In fact, they can’t be. Only you can do that. Someone may or may not have encouraged you and that may have contributed to feelings you already had, but no one person in your life had all the ability to instill or remove confidence. In fact, the very act of walking away from that person may be your confidence builder. For personal trainers who might be listening, having to build a business on your own rather than working for a gym that may be closed, may be the very beginning of real confidence that comes from doing it yourself instead of relying for someone else to do it for you. I can say without a doubt that was true and still is for me. There’s no greater personal growth than starting and growing your own business. You don’t have anything else propping you up. There’s no third-party endorsement. It’s you, building from the ground. And don’t let that scare you from doing it. If you’re inclined to start it, you have what it takes to do it. Courage Doesn’t Have a Choice If you’ve ever been around someone who seems so exceptionally courageous, usually it’s because they’ve emerged as courageous because something devastating happened to them. They endured a tragedy, a broken heart, a betrayal or loss. They didn’t have a choice. Even I did that to myself. I jumped all the way in and left myself no net. In a way, I survived because I had no choice. There was no time to consider my what if this didn’t work. I let myself think for 2 seconds whenever that came up, that I can get a job anywhere doing something and earn a living. Then I had to get on with the actions of doing what I needed to do, learning what I didn’t know. Filling the gaps that exist for women in midlife unwilling to settle for anything less than loving life at every age. Create Your Own Need for Courage I often say to trainers and health coaches during this year of the pandemic, I created my own chaos 8 years ago. I quit my job. Bye, bye, safety security, regular paycheck. Then bye, bye long term relationship. There’s always more to learn about whether you have established a false base of confidence or a real one. Have you been the best trainer? Or have you been the trainer who worked for a business that filled you up? Have you had a relationship that gave you confidence or robbed you of it? Sometimes it’s hard to see the forest for the trees. The best way to get to a new level of confidence so you can believe you can do it, is create a challenge. Create your need to be courageous. Give Yourself a Challenge Doing uncomfortable things – doing something alone if you’re used to being around others or doing something with a crowd of people if you’re an introvert. For an extrovert: Going to a movie alone, eating at a restaurant alone (without your phone). For an introvert: Doing improve activities in a group of people you don’t know Go through a challenge for a month. Following a plan that feels uncomfortable. Master a new skill, do a small new habit consistently, and what builds confidence about that is the action of following through it less than the evidence of the change. Successful habit change starts small When I gave my TEDx talk I described Jennifer’s first 10 weeks with me. That was a confidence builder for her. She followed advice that was counter to the dogma she’d learned for decades. And the first bit of confidence came when she didn’t gain weight as she thought she would. And she was not getting sick or injured any longer either. That was the first step in what’s now 100 lbs of weight loss at age 67. One of the obstacles for successful habit change can be attachment to the problem. If you identify with your problem, meaning really think of it as a part of your identity, you may stay stuck. It’s like this: You are not “depressed.” You have depression or you’re going through a period of situational depression. You are not anxious. You are experiencing anxiety. You are not “hypothyroid.”  You have hypothyroidism. And did you know? You may heal in 3 months? The right changes in your nutrition, movement, supplements, and lifestyle habits can get you there. More very soon in an upcoming interview with Dr Alan Christianson about his new book, Thyroid Reset. How Can You Keep Your Energy Optimal? If you want to boost your ability to believe in yourself again, you need to exercise that part of you that makes you feel confident. That requires optimal energy. So when your energy dips or you’re on the other hand feeling anxious, you’ve got to have a way to find your way back to your “Goldilocks.” List #1 What are 10 things that boost your mood and energy? Remind yourself of times when you’ve done something exceptional – gave a speech, did something incredibly hard in your life and survived it, overcame a huge obstacle. Other things might be as simple as having a big glass of water, dancing for 5 -20 minutes. There are mornings my day just takes off like a plane and I don’t even have time for a shower before something comes up that needs handling. On those days a quick shower and wearing a “bring it on” outfit make a difference. People Talking to the right person can really boost my energy, I schedule podcast interviews in the afternoon. I want to be clear that the kind of energy boost you’re looking for is that sustained energy. Not a jacked-up over-the-top can’t focus but one that allows you more focus. It’s like the difference between coffee that creates jittery distraction and matcha that offers a more calmin focus along with energy. List #2 What are 10 things that calm you down and reduce your stress? If I were creating this list it might include drawing, painting, writing, hiking, massage, yoga, and music and movies. You want to have a variety of things on this list that you can do anytime anywhere, and that aren’t all dependent on making an appointment – or taking a lot of time. Deep breathing for instance? Big game changer, small time investment. Another regular habit of mine is sauna. While there are other activities I might be too tempted to multitask, trying to listen to a work-related meeting or catch up on a missed webinar, at most in the sauna I can listen to a podcast, or just music. Again, I’m going to share the music of the season I’m loving with you- Wholetones Christmas music. Whether you understand or fully buy into the vibrational energy within it or not, I think you’ll love it. So, your homework from this post is to create both these lists. And take them out as needed. Put them on your computer, your phone, and remind yourself often of them. And there you have it. I’m keeping this episode short intentionally. Spend time thinking about what you love, what you need, what you need less of it or to let go of. Find your best balance and you will find the successful habit change. Resource mentioned in this podcast: Sunlighten Sauna Losing 100 lbs at 67 

Does menopause really mean different exercise? That was the question that came after incongruent messages presented to a Flipping 50 follower. It's common. It's the biggest reason it's hard to stick to a program.  You constantly get mixed messages and often can't make a decision about starting any program.  Be a critical thinker. I was interviewed as an expert for an article the other day. A site where I'd bet $100 that you've read articles and thought you can trust them. However, the first question was, "What are the signs someone needs to slow down and do lighter workouts once they're in the 40s or 50s?" First answer, "Wait a minute. Are you writing an article about the actual science or convincing people they need to slow down?" And this is how it goes, ladies. I've written for online magazines, print magazines, and newspapers since the mid 90s. It drove me to blog, in fact. Because often outlets base what they'll publish on what is the popular thought process and belief. https://youtu.be/NoCyA-iUjzw What Pays? You'll read it. More readers, more ads. Do they care that you don't get the real science? Not so much. And there's a good chance you won't get real science. Why? Because there are plenty of fitness professionals who also still (insert believe in the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus) believe and hold those beliefs instead of using science to base decisions on. The list of posts and content comes from a meeting. A meeting of journalists, key word searches, producers, who are after ratings and traffic not actual science. Does Menopause Really Mean Different Exercise? If you've watched my TEDx talk you may get the wrong impression that I favor lighter workouts. Dead wrong. I favor hard, intense workouts for those who are able and hormone balanced. LESS exercise does not mean pick up your Barbie-doll pink weights and do them more often. It means get tired, grunt or huff-n-puff. If you have a hormone imbalance, then yes, adjusting until you are in balance again is required. (You're writing checks on an empty account if you go right to challenging workouts and you're exhausted, sick or injured.) You are intelligent. Social media is .. media. Nowhere in the title appears the word science, or proven. Social = rumors. You know how those suckers fly. Does menopause really mean different exercise?  Yes. Different protocols. Different sequences, combinations and most importantly, it needs to be matched to your highest priorities.  Resources: Flipping 50 membership (limited time open enrollment) Advanced Flipping 50 Fitness Specialist 2.0

Exercise from perimenopause to post-menopause exercise influences the body differently than it ever has before in your life. You won’t get the same benefit from continuing the same routine that once worked. The urgency of your exercise priorities also changes. A 2020 study confirmed accelerated muscle loss for women in late stages of perimenopause. Those losses are not inevitable. You're Immune If...  If a woman from perimenopause to post-menopause: changes her exercise effort to include lifting as heavy as she is safely able, apply power when heavy weight is not possible, and … focuses more on muscular fatigue that changes body composition over rapid movements that burn calories in the moment. The After 50 Fitness Formula for Women course was designed – in 2013 I unknowingly began researching it and in 2014 began writing to address the need of the midlife woman. This post discusses the contents of that course heavily. You may find it a bit “promotional.” I hope you’ll find that this course either speaks to you or it doesn’t. If your routine is not working, within the description of the course modules my hope is that you’ll find the area you may have been skipping. Who Does This Apply To? It doesn’t matter if you’re in early or late perimenopause or early to late post menopause. It doesn’t matter if you exercise to reduce stress or to lose weight, or you love to compete in some sport. It doesn’t matter if you’ve always despised exercise or you have always loved it. 5 Simple Truths Menopause changes the effects of exercise. Menopause changes the effects of hormones. Hormones influence exercise. Exercise influences hormones. Menopause exercise should change. Thanks to an entire (large) generation of baby boomer women who’ve made the fitness industry keenly aware that the same exercise a woman used to do won’t work anymore, you now have more answers. Change Takes Time But like many changes, those answers won’t be available everywhere. Trainers and health coaches even, are slow to adapt because textbooks and certification manuals are slow to change. There’s so much basic information for a trainer to learn, albeit one who doesn’t have a degree and simply loves fitness, there’s just not room for the nuances of every population. Having taught in a university setting for 15 years, I know we can barely get a student out – an important economic promise today - in 4 years as it is. Trying to pack more content into an already overloaded curriculum would be impossible. Students get the basics even in a 4-year degree. Being certified? As a Subject Matter Expert for American Council on Exercise, I know that a certification exam’s purpose is only to ensure that a candidate with a passing score has the minimum viable knowledge to begin a career. That’s it. A certification in other words weeds the worst candidates out. It does not guarantee a “certified personal trainer” knows everything you need them to know. Look for someone who is a specialist. [Flipping 50 Fitness Specialist] During my time teaching we were able to discuss osteoporosis, diabetes, COPD, asthma, and pregnancy with our undergraduates. This content was relayed within a single 90-minute or shorter lecture. Never once did we discuss adolescent girls, the real difference in prenatal and post natal fitness, and of course perimenopause? Ten years ago – which is about what it’s been since I’ve been in the classroom – that wasn’t even a thing. But more topics, more populations, doesn’t mean more hours in the classroom for students. That's Reality The After 50 Fitness Formula for Women Course is delivered in 8 modules, to take you where you are from perimenopause to post-menopause with attention to the following. If you are a show-me-the why, and let me experience it, woman, this course is for you. If you like the content and you want a wholistic approach to fitness, I encourage you to join the notifications list for the Flipping 50 membership. We open twice a year. We’re opening for some special Black Friday offers in 2020 and if you miss them you’ll be sorry, but you have one more chance over the 12 days of Christmas (Dec 25-Jan 6) at the end of the year. Let me use the organization of the course to explain the importance and meaning of each topic to you… and to your fitness. From Perimenopause to Post-menopause Women’s Fitness 2.0 Module 1: Assess & Prepare. In this module you’ll start gathering information on you! You’ll prepare for each module to support your After 50 Fitness Formula. You’ll prep your kitchen, pantry and begin to track your current status so you can measure your progress and understand how your hormones are messaging you outwardly every day, whether you’re in peri or postmenopause. Module 2: Nutrition. This module covers some basic guidelines about nutrition for every day, and for pre and post exercise. What, when, and why to eat and how to understand common problems like food sensitivities, micronutrient insufficiency, gut health, and symptoms like gas, bloating, or constipation as they relate to menopause hormone changes. What is “eating healthy” for you in perimenopause to post-menopause? Why, when, what, and if to snack? Module 3: Exercise. This module will help you understand how to plan optimal exercise for optimal hormone response during perimenopause through post menopause. Planning exercise intensity and type with the importance of time of day, and weekly schedules. What happens when you lift weights in menopause? What happens if you don’t? What qualifies as bone-density building and what misses the mark? Module 4: Sleep. This module focuses on the changes in sleep during perimenopause and post menopause due to hormones and how to respond to them. I’ll present solutions and steps to take to improve sleep quality and quantity and discuss the importance it has on your ability to exercise, perform, and optimize your results in strength and body composition. Trainer or Health Coach? Who didn’t have this included in your degree or your certification with any depth? Click here to not just learn more but learn how to be the expert authority for your clients.  The Rest of the Story Module 5: Stress. This module dives into the science of stress from all sources and offers reducing stress and the obstacle to your fitness certain habits pose. What effect does stress have on your muscle, fat, and bones perimenopause to post-menopause? Module 6: Rest & Recovery. In this module you’ll learn the most often neglected component of a fitness program. You’ll also be introduced to choices for both active and passive recovery to enhance your fitness even when you’re not exercising. Tucked in this module is the secret to a woman’s fitness after 40 that most trainers and clients alike miss. Module 7: Hormones. In this module you will identify all of the key hormones at play in perimenopause and post menopause and the role they play in your fitness level. What happens during your transition that changes the effect exercise has on you, and how to adapt your training plan, type and timing of exercise. Which hormones are responsible for fat burning, fat storage, performance, and lean muscle. Module 8: Whole-istic approach. This module shows you how to bring each of the prior modules together to plan your priorities. I’ll give examples of how signs & symptoms you’re experience (or lab information you have, or both together) lead you to your best first steps and focus. Though of course you need to exercise and eat for example, if you need to improve your sleep, there are ways to make every decision about your food and exercise to sleep better. Bonus/Module 9: This bonus video module gives you resources to see and understand the exercises types discussed in Module 3. These can be used for exercise though this is not a “workout” program with progression from week to week. (If you wish to add them to your purchase, you’ll have the opportunity to bundle strength training and interval workouts at time of purchase for a special rate). There’s more Bonus: Adrenal Fatigue. What is it? How do you know you have it? How do you alter your exercise and nutrition strategy if you do? (Exclusive Flipping 50 Members Content) Bonus: Bone Health Mini Course. This 4-session short course will tell you what type of strength training and cardio exercise is most beneficial, most safe, and is most risky based on whether you are trying to prevent, or to respond to treatment for osteopenia or osteoporosis. Understand Minimum Effective Stress and research interpretation necessary to make decisions that influence your long-term bone health. What’s Your Highest Priority? If I said to you today that age-related declines in muscle mass contribute to physical disability in older women, would you be moved enough to move? Potentially not, unless something else had gotten your attention. You’ve been subject to injuries, and had to stop exercise or lost strength and mobility recently. You’ve witnessed a parent go downhill and as you do for them, realize that without change in your own priorities nothing will prevent you from doing the same. But if I said that the reason you’re gaining weight or belly fat, and you’re not happy with the amount of tone or energy you have is because that muscle loss is already happening at a level you’re now seeing and feeling…. That might hit you where you live. It doesn’t matter what it takes for us to listen, as long as we’re listening. Resources: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7290663/ The After 50 Fitness Formula for Women (updated Sept 2020) Bone Health Mini Course Flipping 50 Membership (Notifications List!) You Might Also Like: Jennifer’s 100 lb weight loss at 67        

Just eat more and exercise less backfired for Jennifer. In fact, she was taking that to the extreme at one point and was sick and injured but not losing weight. Join us for this celebration of how to lose 100 lbs and make the mental changes, or continue to make them along the way. Jennifer Long, golfer, swimmer, Iowa Hawkeye fan, runner, and a member of the I-lost 100 lbs club at age 67. We’re here to celebrate her success and dig into the process of weight gain and loss. On this episode: You’ve lost more than 100 lbs – and crossed that threshold recently – talk a little about the timeline so listeners have a good idea of where your weight gain and loss journey started. What does it take to lose 100 lbs? How did you think about exercise and food 10 years ago? What would you tell yourself about exercise and nutrition if you could tell 50-year-old Jennifer something right now? You’re no stranger to nutrition, blood sugar, insulin as a diabetes educator. How did your educational background, your vocation support your efforts? How did they get in the way of your efforts? These are my words… I would say that you’ve been swimming upstream.. what I mean by that is that you were not necessarily surrounded by people doing the same thing that you were doing or wanted to do… and before being online was an everyday occurrence you may have been a minority pursuing exercise. Truth to that? What does this feel like compared to 10 years ago? What’s your workout week like? You’ve been able to experience several changes. Talk a little about sleep. How many days a week do you exercise? It’s never too late. Whether you want to lose 100 lbs. or 10, whether you are already or need to become an active person, you can change at any age. You might also like: Link to prior episodes with Jennifer See Jennifer's story in my TEDx talk Jennifer is one of the many inspiration stories in our Flipping 50 membership. It opens twice a year and it’s coming soon! Learn more here or join the notifications list to know when we open! Show notes: Flippingfifty-dot-com/lose-100-lbs

Last month was breast cancer awareness month. Every month, though 1 in every 8 women is diagnosed. This continues a conversation worth revisiting about hormones and breast cancer.  Breast cancer. You are on one side of it or the other. You’ve either been there and heard “you have breast cancer.” Perhaps you never have heard those words and tend to skip your mamo or thermo tests thinking it won’t happen to you.  Your Breast Cancer Connection No matter which side you’re on, you know someone, chances are you love someone who’s had it. So it’s relevant to all of us with moms, daughters, sisters, aunts, nieces and partners. Before we dive into it today, this episode is brought to you by The Flipping 50 Fitness Specialist. Right now there has never been a better time to become a trainer or health coach serving women in midlife and or to make your business and life something you love and look forward to. Flipping 50 is the first and only hormone balancing fitness membership for women in perimenopause through post menopause. I created the Flipping 50 Fitness Specialist to give trainers and health coaches a business system and a directory where we hook them up with trainers who know how to make women better not just tired. Link in the show notes. My Guest Candace Burch is an internationally recognized Hormone Health Educator and media personality with over 25 years of experience in the field. Through her at-home testing and consulting practice, Your Hormone Balance, she helps people of all ages detect, and naturally correct hormone imbalances. Her background includes working as a health writer and investigative journalist in London, and leading educational initiatives for ZRT Hormone Testing Laboratory and Metabolic Research Center. Candace continues to raise awareness about hormone health and disease prevention through her work as a writer, speaker and podcaster. Questions we answer in this episode: How does estrogen dominance increase a woman’s risk of breast cancer? Does progesterone protect against risk of breast cancer?  Is there a link between obesity and increased risk of breast cancer? What are Xenoestrogens and how do they play into hormone imbalances and breast cancer risk? How can listeners avoid them? What are the foods a woman wants to eat more of to reduce risks...and then on the flip side to avoid eating? What every day steps can a woman take to protect breast health?  CONNECT with Candace: IG: @yourhormonebalance Candace’s Podcast: “WTF: Women Talking Frankly” Additional Resources Mentioned on this episode: The Flipping 50 Fitness Specialist Femmenessence A prior episode with Dr. Mona Fahoum, advisory board member for Femmenessence You might also like: My Breast Friend  Dr Lindsey Burkson interview Show notes: Flippingfifty-dot-com/hormonebalance

Upper arm toning on your wish list? Welcome to the everything arms episode, this is Debra Atkinson you're listening to flipping 50 where I address, your top struggles and concerns and I share what to eat, how to move and how to change your mindset. So you can have the energy and the vitality that you want need and deserve in the second, and better half. If there’s one question that I’m asked most often, it's about core or abs. But frankly, question number two, a very close runner up is arms… bat wings, bingo arms, whatever you endearingly or not so endearingly call it. That is the question and that is the topic of the day. Upper Arm Toning Exercise Won’t Help Every Problem There are a couple things that we need to address when we're talking about arms. First of all, let's talk about the problem and being able to identify that because we can't jump into a solution, unless we actually have the problem. So, number one, you've got to first be able to distinguish what the problem is? Is this really a lack of muscle, lack of tone? Is this loose skin? Is it crepey skin? Or is it fat? And I know you, if you’re out there thinking you need a box where you can check “all of the above.” Loose, Crepey, Under-Arm Skin I’ll spend the most time talking about muscle. And fat but before I do I want to discus the lose, crepey skin. That’s most likely from a change in collagen, and possibly weight gain then loss. That's something that exercise won't necessarily help you change. Skin Needs Food So you've got to tackle that from inside out from both that direction of eating more antioxidant rich foods that are great for your skin and getting things on topically so if you're not regularly hydrating and, or if you're allowing skin to chase. Say you frequently are going for walks or runs. And you notice that your underarm gets rough and irritated because your arm is rubbing say against your jog bra, or t shirt it's rubbing against a seam, or might be just rubbing against you and your underarm. That's a different kind of problem, more inside out, again, from your food. You've got to really tune up and dial up your diet, and the second to that is getting things on the skin that are truly hydrating don't have any toxins in them so you don't just want to be picking up any lotion and slapping it on. Did you know that if water is listed as the first ingredient a lotion is drying ultimately, not hydrating? YIKES! You want to make sure that you've got lotion that potentially has a small bit of Retin A in it, not the same high dose that you might want on your face, but something that can go on your skin. I believe it is flipping 50 TV episode, 18, and I know that because I referred to it so very often, where my good friend, Dr. Anthony Yoon, who is America's holistic plastic surgeon gave his advice because he's my go-to on all things for skin. So, I'm going to direct you to that I'll link to that too in the show notes as well as to where you can follow Dr. Youn. Fat Arms or Fine Arms? And let me tell you an easy way to discover the third possible problem, and that is that you've got too much fat. You've got what we call subcutaneous or pinch-an-inch fat on the top of the muscle, you've got some muscle, you've been lifting weights you've been eating adequate protein and getting all those antioxidants, however, you have too much fat. You can do a really easy do-it-yourself, test, right here, right now. Reach back and pinch your arm. So if you can very easily and separate the muscle from the fat, you kind of grab around the middle of the arm and then you slide your fingers off till you're still pinching but you can tell you're only pinching fat you don't have muscle fibers in there, and it hurts a little bit if you pinch it hard. I'm demonstrating for the purpose of demonstration I'm actually taking one for the team. Pinch Much? So, if you can kind of pinch-a-half-an-inch or more you have enough to say that this is not just skin that has to cover the top of your body of any part. But as literally you’ve got a little bit more fat there. Okay, sister. So, a couple of things, you are going to need to listen to the exercise advice that I give you coming up, but to, you don't have as much room to play with a “moderate diet.” If you want to get rid of that you have to lock down on your extra-curricular carbohydrates. Your upper arms kind of Batwing body fat won’t respond as well to exercise alone as visceral belly fat will. You actually have to be a little bit tighter in control of your carbohydrates. Now, I'm not saying carbohydrates are bad but if you're doing extra-curricular carbohydrates, you're having more of them, say you're drinking wine every night you're probably going to struggle with getting tight toned arms again. So, it's not quite the same as it used to be and that's because of what your hormones are doing right now. If the rules have changed, have to change the strategy. Improving Everything Arms with Muscle Is it truly a lack of muscle? Maybe you have not been hitting the weights like you should been and instead were doing lots of cardio, or maybe no cardio at all, and never thought you needed to, and now suddenly you do. You're losing muscle tone, probably, that's due to entering menopause, getting close to the end of your perimenopause or beginning of post menopause, and you simply have reduced amount of estrogen, and that's inhibiting your ability to hold onto muscle. So you need to start lifting weights for your full body, and I'll come back to that one as well as for your arms, so they're going to be included but they cannot be the sole focus and stars and I'll explain that why again in a bit. Making this Everything Arms Mistake? So, number one thing is people ask what exercises can I do for this right here? That's the question that you ask. That's not the question that I wish you would ask. The question that I wish you would ask is more so, what can do about this, how can I see more tone and definition in my arms? That's not from an arm exercise. So, if you're starting your exercises with only arm exercises, if you're focusing on doing those first, you're missing out. Because what you've got to do is usually two-fold: gain lean muscle AND burn fat all over. Whole Body Focus Leads to Everything Arms You want to do an all over strength training program and my preference for women in midlife without hours to spend – and who can’t afford to trash their hormones spending hours exercising… is a full body (upper and lower body) workout twice a week. Only the very last part of it should cater or specifically involve arm exercises and the reason is your biceps and your triceps, that occupy the space between the, the elbow and your shoulder are relatively small muscle groups. Arms are Major Muscles We still include them among major muscle groups, but by comparison to what you sit on -your gluteal muscles - your chest muscles your back muscles, the top of your thigh those quadricep muscles the back of your thigh your hamstring muscles. Now you can see your biceps and your triceps are relatively small, they impact and influence your metabolism, so much less. Body Fat Can't Be Isolated So, if you really want to change your percent body fat, improve your body composition so you can reduce the fat so you can see the pretty muscle underneath, you've got to be bumping your metabolism up using those larger muscle groups. So any exercise that involves the chest and back, like a chest press a push up, or the back, a pull up a bent over row a bent arm pull over seated row if you are at the gym or a rowing action. If you're using a rowing machine potentially against a lot of resistance, or if you're using tubing and cables to pull something towards you. Those are major muscle groups for your upper body and yes you want to include your lower body even though you want to work your arms. Major Muscles You've got to start with the major muscles so you want to be doing things like squats and lunges, if you can tolerate it for your joints. If you can't, you still want to be incorporating things like bridges, I like bridges with a ball so there's the balance component hamstring curls, you don't have to have a machine or be at the gym to do that you can use a ball to do that. And you can do standing legwork putting tubing around above your knees, which is safest for your lower back and for your knees and moving side to side or doing what I call monster walks forward and back. All of those things are gonna work those major muscles in your legs, to some degree, and ultimately change your body composition which is going to help reduce overall fat, you cannot spot reduce fat. Think, Big Picture So, you may have fat at the upper arm, and you're going to lose that too by changing your body composition and do that a whole lot faster. And in fact, it may not even be possible if you're only targeting your arms using arm exercises. It just doesn't work like that you can spot tone will tone the muscle underneath, but we may never see it, unless you're doing the appropriate things to stimulate your metabolism, all over. Cardio? Yes, But Not What You Think Now, last but not least, you do need to be doing a little bit of cardiovascular work but by that we lump a lot of things in there, including high intensity interval training and long slow walking. The thing that's going to help you burn fat, the most, and the quickest is going to be using high intensity interval training, one, two or three times a week. But here's the deal. When I say one two or three times a week that's not really more minutes per week. If you're doing more days per week. Think of it this way you've got about 45 minutes of high intensity interval training to spend, and no more than that, if you're a beginner, start with 10 or 15, per week no more than that. Everything Arms and More But if you're more advanced you've been doing it AND you feel good… you’re not suffering from exhausting fatigue daily… That might be 15 minutes of high intensity intervals three times a week say Monday Wednesday Friday, or 20 to 25 minutes. Monday and Thursday. So, you get the idea. Why 45 minutes? Because that's the line where really that threshold as soon as you start doing more than that we start seeing more breakdown and more injuries, especially in women as your estrogen goes down, you are more prone to injury, there's a correlation roughly. Safe, Not Sorry with Upper Arm Toning Okay, there isn’t research to show this but there is a big increase in injury rates among women in midlife. Personal trainers and physical therapists can almost all attest to this, that there are more cases of plantar fasciitis, there are more cases of carpal tunnel syndrome of elbow tendinitis what's called tennis elbow or golfer's elbow. All of those things are much more likely to happen when you're in midlife partially due to hormones, we don't know exactly what the correlation or connection is, but we do know it to be true so if you're pushing harder and harder and you're thinking I want to get results faster and faster you may just be accelerating your speed right to an injury. Plan Safe Progression So do the right amount do an amount they feel like you can do easily, but no injury, because you don't want to be in the best shape of your life, right before you got hurt. Because then most likely you'll take three steps back. Okay, So we've clarified there may be multiple reasons why you have those bat wings. lack of muscle - you have to do strength training work if you want to age optimally if you want to see that beautiful muscle and change your body composition, too. crepey skin - you've got some muscle under there but you've got loose and baggy skin then nutrition adding antioxidant rich foods and also lotions on the skin subcutaneous fat- you need to change your body composition – and a three-pronged approach is necessary (strength, interval training, and quality nutrition changes) Upper Arm Toning Exercises Baffle You? If you want help with the exact exercises to do that will help you when you do get to the arms section of your workout. I'm going to put a link to a challenge, where I talked a little bit about arms earlier, and I will show you through a cheat sheet. 10 exercises that you can do for arms at home. So, you've got tons of variety, you got tons of way to put them together. So, you'll never get bored and your muscles will never stop changing because you're going to continually challenge it. I posted this early last year. And what I'm going to do is put the link in the show notes, and that'll be at flipping fifty.com, forward slash everything arms. What are you waiting for, let's go grab those toned arms right now? I’ll link to 10 Arm Exercises and to an Arm video in YouTube… but remember… the real success will come from an approach that includes three goals: Build muscle, lose fat, and take care of that skin You’ll want to include Strength training and HIIT Tons of veggies, cut down on sugar, poor carbs, and alcohol Add Retin-A rich skin care Resources mentioned today: 5 Day Flip Flipping 50 TV Episode 18 10 Arm Exercises Cheat Sheet MY TEDx Talk Helpful? Leave a message or join the Flipping 50 Insider group on Facebook to ask your question and have it featured on an upcoming episode.