To all the women over 40s, I can't emphasize enough the importance of eating adequate protein especially after exercise (within 30 min after).
It drops the elevated cortisol after the stress of exercise.
It helps with lean mass development.
If you are fasting after exercise you might be causing more harm than good storing fat while keeping the cortisol elevated.
As we age we need to change our strategies around food, exercise and lifestyle to counterbalance the lack of hormones and to better support our body.
What used to work before most likely will not work from now on.
If you need some help towards your health and fitness goals I created the Women's Wellness and it is now open.
4 weeks of individualized support around food, exercise, stress, sleep, life.
The program can be done totally online with health coach consultations via zoom
Please contact me for more details
If you are a woman 40 + and want to build lean mass and body composition change you need to lift heavy shit.
Reduce the volume and increase the quality.
You now need to train for power, not endurance.
Slow and Steady and lots of reps with light weights will not work anymore.
Go heavy and fewer reps. Train smart and effective.
I decided to specialize in women in peri, menopause and post-menopause for 3 reasons:
1) I see lots of women frustrated in this phase not getting the results that they used to have.
2) There isn't much positive information about training and diet specific for this phase in a woman's life.
There is a lot of information about evidence about weight gain as the hormones change but not about what to do to counteract.
3)That's where I am at , and all that I learned I tested measured and adapted.
If you need a hand towards your health and fitness goals you might like to join my Women's Wellness .
A program specifically for women in midlife.
Please reach out .
I am here to help you to live the best second half of your life.
Updated: May 27, 2020
What a heck is Pilates ?
Pilates is a form of overall strength and conditioning used in the development of strong core muscles which also focuses on breathing, toning muscles, balance, alignment ( posture) and ranges of motion ( flexibility).
In other words, during Pilates, you strengthen and stretch muscles, lengthening muscles that are short, and strengthening muscles that need to be strengthened.
The exercises help with coordination incorporating lots of muscles in one exercise. It enhances functional movement due to the coordinated exercises and concentration on the core muscles.
Overall, Pilates focuses on the deeper muscle groups, or ‘local’ stabilisers -(the muscles responsible for stabilising the body during the movement ).
One of the most famous one, the TA or Transversus Abdominal, is a deeper core muscle that runs transversally located between the belly button and pubic bone going around until the lower back . TA is the key for flat abdominals.
In general the “ local stabiliser” muscles job are to control joint movement and sustain the stability of the joints that can often be damaged through repetitive and high demand training.
Pilates equals deep strength, not superficial . Being more effective and assisting with injury prevention.
Pilates develops awareness of the body, through controlled and smooth movement.
It also focuses on good postural alignment which will help an individual perform a movement efficiently, reducing the amount of unnecessary strain on the muscles and joints. After a Pilates class you feel aligned and taller .
Finally, the emphasis on breathing helps with focus, relaxation and precise movements . During the practice you need to think about what you are doing physically and mentally. It is a mind body system.
In the end of the day what I really love is that you can bring all the principles of Pilates in inspirational tips for life not only during your Pilates practice.
