How to minimize muscle loss as you age

If you are in your 40s or 50s, chances are that you are starting to notice some changes in your body, including muscle loss and diminishing strength, even if you exercise fairly regularly. Maintaining muscle mass becomes increasingly important as we age, especially for women who are looking to lose weight.

How to minimize muscle loss as you age:

1. Strength train a few times a week - Resistance training with or without weights is essential for muscle protein synthesis. Strength training not only builds muscle but also helps preserve bone density, which is crucial for overall health.

2. Eat high-quality protein at every meal - Aim to eat 25-30 grams of protein at each meal. Aim for a protein-rich diet including sources like lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, legumes, nuts, and seeds.  Protein intake becomes particularly important as we age to counteract age-related muscle loss.

3. Recover as hard as you train - Your muscles need time to heal to get stronger. Ensure you're allowing adequate time for rest and recovery between workouts. Muscles need time to repair and grow stronger after being challenged during exercise. Incorporate rest days into your routine and prioritize quality sleep to support muscle recovery and overall well-being.

4. Find a community - Your support system can help provide motivation and accountability. Building and maintaining muscle mass is a gradual process that requires dedication and persistence. Being part of community of like minded people can be the key to your success.

By implementing these strategies, women over 50 can minimize muscle loss while focusing on their weight loss goals, leading to improved overall health, strength, and vitality.

Click here to learn more about what it's like to work with me!

Winter Swimming in Hawaii

I've been wanting to write a post about our time open water swimming in Hawaii for, well years now. Today is the day!

 

mrC is a good swimmer. I used to swim in my grandparent's pool as a kid, but that's not the same as ocean swimming.

While living in Hawaii, I wanted to take advantage of two things:

1. warm water - the average temperature ranges from 76-81 degrees 

2. clear water - reduces my fear of what might in the water

One winter day during our first year in Hawaii, I came across a swimming group that met at our local beach in Kailua every Sunday: One With the Ocean. I reached out and they assured me that all are welcome, even beginners. The first time we went, we decided to paddle out on our SUP boards with the group to learn more about the route which started at the beach, out to Flat Island (some swam around it) and back. Our second week, we joined the group and we were quickly left behind. They were already around the island by the time we made it there!

Most of the group were previous competition swimmers and no one was a beginner. Although super nice, I knew I wouldn't feel comfortable swimming with them if mrC wasn't there. We decided to modify the route to something a little more manageable.

After that, we would meet the group on the beach to say hello and then walk down to our starting point and swim our route to the island. Usually we were the first to arrive, which gave us a much needed break waiting for the group coming from farther away. 

Sometimes, mrC and I would wear fins to make our swim a little easier. It's amazing how much faster you can go with those things on!

There are a lot of things I miss about living in Hawaii and swimming is definitely on my top 10 list. It was hard, but making it to the island was a huge accomplishment.

Maybe one day I will be able to swim in the waters here in Maine & New Hampshire....I won't hold my breath though, haha!

What is something you miss about a place you used to live or visit?

Healthy Habits Change with Age

Healthy looks different for me in my early 50’s than it did in my 20’s and 30s and even my 40s. What I thought was healthy back then doesn’t serve me now and isn’t going to provide the same results.

Here's what I do now at age 52 to keep my body, mind, and hormones happy and healthy:

✨ Prioritize protein - protein with every meal! I shoot for 114 grams of protein a day!
✨ Lift heavy weights 3 days a week
✨ Complete 30 minute strategic workouts - I don’t overdo it!
✨ Focus on whole foods as much as possible
✨ I’ve found balance! I don’t cut out treats and I enjoy myself on special ocassions!
✨ I give myself grace. I’ve ditched the all or nothing mentality!


What I DON’T do (anymore!):

❌ Cut out entire food groups
❌ Cut calories
❌ Punish myself for ‘bad’ food choices by making myself workout more
❌ Use the scale as the only measure of progress
❌ Hours of cardio daily

It’s ok to adjust and pivot our mentality and our strategies as we age! Even throughout the Faster Way program, we’re constantly pivoting and changing things up to keep our bodies responding and changing! 

Learn more about the program I follow and coach here!

How have your habits changed with age?

Creatine: Myths vs Facts for Midlife Women

I started taking creatine about two months ago to help rebuild muscle mass I lost while going through breast cancer treatment and dealing with an autoimmune condition that affected my joints last year. I use it as a supplement to the food I eat, especially protein and carbs and to make sure I'm getting the most of my FASTer Way workouts.

What people think about creatine:
It’s a steroid
It makes muscles bulky
It’s only for men & athletes

Well, creatine is for women too! In fact, women are probably the one's who should be first in line to use it. 

What creatine does:
Help you build lean muscle
Help you torch more fat in workouts
Help you push harder and maximize your workouts
Helps you bounce back quicker after a tough workout

Creatine is a game-changer for boosts workout performance and results. 

Ready to supercharge your workouts and redefine your fitness goals? Join us for a FREE Creatine Webinar on Jan 30. 🎓 We'll spill the secrets on maximizing your fitness journey with creatine. Sign up for the training here.

I’m really excited to switch to the FASTer Way brand when it launches, so I put my name on the waitlist. You can too! Join the waitlist here

Why Leg Day Treats?

One of the most favorite aspects of the FASTer Way program is the “Leg Day Treat.” 

In the FASTer Way, we don’t believe in deprivation. That’s why we have a food cycle designed to allow us to enjoy our favorite treats on Leg Day, totally guilt-free. We work out a large muscle group, our legs, which results in a ramped up metabolism, turning our bodies into fat-burning machines all day long.

Leg Day strength training includes some of the more challenging movements of all the strength-based workouts, and the legs and glutes are among the largest muscle groups in the body. Challenging yourself in heavy strength training with the largest muscle groups means you’re likely burning more calories on Leg Day than on other strength days.

Most people who try a diet or “fat loss lifestyle” don’t stick with it for the long-term because it’s too restrictive and doesn’t teach them HOW to incorporate occasional treats. We learn how to still eat a treat and how honesty in that freedom is important. It's not a diet of deprivation, but a lifestyle where you eat mindfully and with purpose.

It is important to note that we participate in a treat MEAL...not a cheat DAY.  Going off course for an entire day can quickly unravel some of your hard earned work; however, a treat meal is unlikely to do so. A treat meal serves a couple of purposes. It can trick your body and turn your metabolism up a notch. Plus it gives you a mental release from feeling like you have to be "perfect" all the time.

Some people find the idea of “treats” to be particularly triggering and they have a hard time stopping at one treat or an appropriately portioned treat. Please understand that building in foods made of discretionary calories is entirely voluntary and I encourage you to make the best decision for you and your wellness journey.

How do you incorporate treats or do you avoid them?

Modify Your Workout: Ankle/Foot Injuries

If you have ever suffered a sprained ankle or other foot injury, you know that waiting for the healing process to complete 100% can be frustrating when the rest of your body wants a good workout.

I am here to tell you that you can still get a great workout while recovering from an ankle or other foot type injury.

First let me tell you my story. Two days before mrC and I were to fly back to Hong Kong from the US, I missed a step going down some stairs at our hotel and sprained my ankle. After nearly a week of following ICE protocol like a pro and taking anti-inflammatory medicine, I was ready to get some exercise that did not involve using the crutches.

Here are some great options that I tried for getting in your workout when you have an ankle or foot injury:

Upper Body Workout - no reason you can't do back, biceps, triceps and abs. Sit on a bench/chair when possible. Try this one:

BACK

Pull-Ups or Push Ups if N/A : 2 sets of 10 reps - warm up

Superset: 4 sets 10-12 reps each

Dumbbell Seated Row

Lateral Pulldown with Dumbbells

Face Pull with Band: 4 sets of 10-12 reps

Triceps

Bent Over Row with Tricep Kickback (combined): 4 sets of 10-12 reps (per arm)

Triceps dips: 3 sets 10-12 reps

BICEPS

Bicep Curl: “21’s” using Dumbbells

7 Bottom Half

7 Top Half

7 Full Range

ABS:

Plank: 1 minute

Bird Dogs: 1 minute

Medicine Ball/Russian Twists: 1 minute

Lower Body Workout - if you take it easy, you can still work some of those lower body muscles without aggravating your injury. Try this (but stop if you experience any pain/discomfort):

Giant Set: Complete all 4 sets before moving onto next move

4 sets 10-12 reps

Dumbbell Deadlift

Calf Raises

Goblet Squat

Giant Set: Complete all 4 sets before moving onto next move

4 sets 20-25 reps 

Banded Glute Kickbacks - do these laying on the floor

Banded side steps - do these sitting in a chair and stepping out and back

Banded Glute Bridge 

Side lying inner thigh lifts 

HIIT Workout - looking to get your heart rate up and break a sweat while exercising from a seated position? It's possible, I did it! Try this workout video.

I hope if you are dealing with a ankle/foot injury and you're feeling up to a workout, you will try one of these! Let me know!

PS ---> if you are looking for a good pair of resistance bands, I love my set from Fit Simplify. You can find them on Amazon (here) and the tubes too (here).

Cape Cod Summer 2017: Carb Cycling and Vacation Highlights

As much as I wanted to finish my FASTer Way to Fat Loss® program on a high note, it was just too much to keep up with while on vacation. I didn't stop the program all together ---> I did as many of the workouts as I could and I continued to extend my fast until nearly noon each day. What I didn't do was track my macros or post to the online group each day.

You may have noticed that I also had trouble blogging ;)

I'm not bummed out though. I feel like I did what I could and still enjoyed every moment with the girls for two weeks. Those two weeks were the absolute best. Our days were filled with fun and I savored every moment just being there with my family.

Here are the highlights:

We had a Sparkler Party on the beach to celebrate the 4th of July. We started with a traditional summer cookout at the house, complete with cheeseburgers, corn on the cob and baked beans. Then we walked to the beach sporting our festive tees from The Daily Tay. We didn't see a big fireworks display, but our party was over-the-top fun!

We took the fast ferry over to Nantucket for a day. After grabbing breakfast sandwiches at Fog Island Cafe, we went on a bike tour around town with Nantucket Bike Tours ---> highlights of the tour include Brant Point Lighthouse, Steps Beach, Lily Pond, Old Mill and riding through quaint neighborhoods (highly recommend doing this!). We grabbed a taco lunch at Easy Street Cantina (loved it!) and took our rented a jeep for a ride out to Sankaty Lighthouse and stopped by the Oldest House. Before leaving, we walked around town enjoying some ice cream from The Juice Bar, souvenir shopping and even spotting a celebrity from Long Island!

We hopped on the Shining Sea Bikeway in North Falmouth for an afternoon ride. Our 16 miles took us through salt marshes all the way to ocean views at Quissett Beach. My knee was a little cranky, so we turned around about 2 miles from the end of the trail in Woods Hole.

One afternoon in Woods Hole we walked the trail out to The Knob, strolled around town with ice cream from Jimmy's Sandwich and Ice Cream Place and stopped to see the Nobska Lighthouse up close.

We love Old Silver Beach and spend most of our mornings there soaking up the sun and our evenings taking in the sunsets. This year we celebrated our favorite place with a fun photo party in our favorite Cape Cod gear and brand new OSB tees. The girls made sure to include their brother, who was stuck in Colorado working, in the fun.

We had one major rainy day which I spent at the Cape Cod Mall picking up a new pair of fitness shoes. I think these will work perfectly for hiking and Bodystep. One cloudy afternoon we took the Cape Cod Railroad Coastal Excursion. It was an out and back narrated trip from Hyannis to Buzzard's Bay. Along the way we saw cranberry bogs and kettle hole ponds, great salt marsh, Cape Cod Canal, Sagamore Bridge, Bourne Bridge and an osprey nesting platform.

On our last night on the Cape, we took a sunset sail aboard the La Liberté out of Falmouth. Before the two-hour cruise aboard the schooner, we had one final dinner at Simply Devine Pizza Co. where you can get gluten-free pizza.

The Workouts - During the two weeks, I was able to fit in some FASTer Way to Fat Loss® workouts such as sprints, HIIT circuits, bike rides for low intensity, and a few runs to the beach.

The Meals - Some days I followed the meal plan and some I didn't. I offer myself plenty of grace since it was our official vacation. It's hard to be back in the US and NOT indulge in some of our favorite things.

The great thing about carb cycling is that you can make it work for you, even if it's not always perfect. We didn't have access to a gym or even free weights, but we exercised every day. Instead of taking results measurements at the Cape, my plan is to repeat the final two weeks and then do a proper results post.

2 Workouts You Can Do While Doing A Load of Laundry

We've been living in a hotel for a week now and I'm running out of fitness gear to wear. I was forced to wear my favorite capris to the fitness room. I love them because they are buttery soft, but it's just so warm in there.

Tomorrow we are flying to Colorado to see the my stepson, so I really needed to do a load of laundry. Fortunately the fitness room and laundry room are right next to each other making it easy to work out and be close to my clothes at the same time.

During the wash cycle I did a 20 minute HIIT workout on the elliptical using a pyramid --->

5 minute WU (Set & keep the resistance at moderate)
30:30 seconds work:rest at 90% effort
60:60 at 80% effort
90:90 at 70% effort
60:60 at 80% effort
30:30 at 90% effort
60:60 at 90% effort ---> finish strong!!!
4 minute CD

Pyramid workouts are when the intervals get longer each set then work their way back down by the end of the round. The purpose is to challenge your threshold without breaking you. I love feeling like I cannot work another second, like I'm going to have to stop and then the break comes.

While waiting for the machine to finish, I filled the few minutes with planks and wall sits.

During the dry cycle I did a 30 minute LISS (low intensity sustained state) workout on the elliptical ---> I set my resistance to easy and aimed to keep my heart rate in the fat burn zone. It's hard to go slow after going fast. PS - add 45 calories to the total below because I forgot to start my watch.

I finished up with a round of planks and wall sits, then hauled the clothes back to the room. Instead of drying my fit gear in the dryer, I used Running on the Fly's great idea to hang dry it in the closet. It's still important to take care of your gear when you're traveling.

Hanging up my workout gear made me realize that I really need another pair of shorts. After my shower, I browsed online and found these, these, these, and these as possibilities.

Black is always my go to color choice, but these also caught me eye.

When we get to Boulder, I'm hoping to try them on and pick a pair.


Do you do laundry when you're traveling?
Dryer or line dry your fitness wear?
Do you prefer black or colored shorts?