February 28, 2025 • 29 mins
In this episode of MilesFromHerView, Kat discusses why metabolism slows down with age and the importance of muscle for women in their thirties and beyond. Kat explains the science behind muscle loss, sarcopenia, and the critical role of strength training for maintaining and increasing muscle mass. Listeners will learn practical strategies for effective strength training, including compound movements, progressive overload, and the importance of sleep and nutrition. Kat also emphasizes women's unique challenges as they approach menopause and how maintaining muscle mass can improve overall health and vitality. If you're ready to take control of your metabolism and strength, this episode is for you!
00:00 Introduction: Why Your Metabolism Slows Down with Age
00:30 Welcome to MilesFromHerView
01:23 Weather Chat and Personal Updates
02:15 The Importance of Muscle for Metabolism
04:37 Understanding Muscle Mass and Metabolism
05:41 Strength Training: The Key to Combating Muscle Loss
06:07 The Role of Muscle in Metabolic Health
07:31 Navigating Muscle Health in Your Thirties and Forties
12:36 Practical Tips for Building and Maintaining Muscle
16:22 The Importance of Recovery and Nutrition
21:49 Muscle Health During Menopause
25:06 Final Takeaways and Encouragement
27:21 Closing Remarks and Call to Action
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Kat (00:00):
Have you ever wondered why your metabolism slows down as
you age, or maybe you wonderedwhy it feels so hard to keep
muscle tone after your thirties?
In this episode, we're gonnabreak down.
Why muscle is essential for yourmetabolism, especially as a
woman in your thirties andbeyond.
I'm also gonna break down thescience behind muscle loss and
(00:20):
why strength training should beyour ne new best friend and how
you can maintain and evenincrease muscle mass through
simple effective strategies.
So let's dive in.
Welcome to MilesFromHerView.
The podcast powered by Kat FitStrength, where busy women like
you find practical solutions tofuel your fitness journey with
authenticity and resilience.
(00:41):
I'm Kat, your host, a mom of twoactive boys, a business owner,
and an ultra marathon runner anda strength trainer in her
forties with nearly two decadesof experience.
I'm here to help you cut throughthe noise of fads, hacks, and
quick fixes.
This is a space where wecelebrate womanhood and
motherhood.
All while building strength andresilience and reconnecting with
(01:04):
you from a place ofself-compassion and worthiness.
Whether you're lacing up yourrunning shoes to go out for a
run, driving your kids topractice or squeezing in a
moment for yourself, I'm righthere in the trenches with you.
Let's dive in.
Welcome back toMilesFromHerView.
I'm Kat and I am your host.
I am loving the weather we arehaving right now.
(01:27):
I know I've.
If you've been listening to thelast couple episodes, I've been
chatting about the weather, itis still February.
The last day of February.
I'm so excited that March iscoming up because that's the
official start, or halfwaythrough.
March is the official start ofspring and I'm in the Northeast
in Pennsylvania and it has beena bit.
(01:50):
A cold, cold, wintery of winter,just a lot of winter.
So I am excited.
This week has been mild.
The sun is out, the sky is blue.
I've just felt this renewedsense of energy, so I hope
wherever you're tuning in from,you are being blessed with some
(02:11):
amazing weather and you are alsofeeling that energy.
So today we're gonna be divinginto the topic that is so
crucial and I am so passionateabout it, is something that gets
very nuanced.
A lot of fitness and wellnessgets very nuanced, especially in
a world flooded with socialmedia.
There's a lot of great, I.
(02:31):
Content out there, however itcan get hidden.
Being in the business, knowingthe information, and having two
decades of experience withfitness strength training run
training, all the things,training athletes to everyday
individuals.
I too get confused with a lot ofthings.
(02:52):
So today we're gonna be focusingon muscle and metabolism.
And you may not know theconnection, but I'm gonna
connect the two.
The idea of muscle buildingseems like something that's
reserved for bodybuilders orathletes.
We think about those individualswho spend hours in the gym
focusing on a certain.
(03:13):
Muscle to grow that, or trainingfor an athletic event or a on a
team event or an individualathletic event.
But actually it is extremelyvital for our own fitness,
health, and energy levels as weprogress through the decades,
especially thirties and fortiesand beyond.
(03:35):
It is so, so vital.
I cannot stress that enough.
So.
Whether you're just starting tothink about this or maybe you've
been trying to understand what'sgoing on with your own
metabolism.
So we're gonna break this downtoday.
We're gonna go over why muscleis so important for metabolism,
how you can maintain and buildmuscle, and how muscle health
(03:57):
plays a role in.
Everything from energy levels,bone density, especially as we
transition through perimenopauseto menopause.
The other thing I am going totalk about is cat fit.
That is my business, and I am inthe business of helping women.
Build strength, feel empowered,and get back to moving the way
(04:19):
they want to, or maybe movingthe way you've always want to.
I have seen it not only formyself, but also for my clients,
that building a strengthtraining routine that works for
your life and not against it.
So I'm gonna share a little bitof that as we go through this.
Let's start by talking aboutmuscle mass itself.
(04:40):
We often don't think aboutmuscles as an organ.
But it actually is, it's thelargest organ in your body.
Muscle tissue is.
So incredibly metabolicallyactive, meaning it burns energy,
more energy at rest than fattissue, more muscle mass.
(05:01):
We have more calories we burneven at rest, or if you're
working out, because as we age,muscle mass naturally declines.
So studies show that after theage of 30, we start to lose
about three to 8% of musclemass.
Per decade.
It may not sound like a lot, butit does add up, and this process
(05:25):
is called sarcopenia.
It also leads to the slowdown ofmetabolism.
This makes it harder to manageour weight, keep up with daily
activities, and maintainstrength as we get older.
But here's the good news.
Okay.
Strength training is the bestway to combat natural decline.
(05:45):
Right.
I, I wanna screen that throughthe rooftops and we're gonna
dive into, not now we're, we'regonna stay in the sciencey bit,
but just what does strengthtraining mean and methods you
can apply.
So that you are seeing thebenefits, not only just
metabolically, but why musclemass is important for your own
independence as we've progressedthrough the the decades.
(06:07):
So why does muscle matter formetabolism specifically?
Let's, let's get a little intothis here.
Muscle is responsible forincreasing the resting metabolic
rate.
This means you're maintaining orbuilding muscle, you're burning.
This means if you aremaintaining or building muscle.
You are burning more caloriesall day long, even when you are
(06:30):
sitting, working at yourcomputer, sitting at night
watching a Netflix binge.
Muscles also, and this is veryimportant, improve insulin
sensitivity.
If you have more muscle, it'sgoing to help you better process
carbohydrates, manage bloodsugar levels, and this is very
(06:51):
crucial for overall medical ormetabolic health.
There muscles just don't keepyour metabolism humming along.
It's also linked to hormonalbalance.
Particularly as you approachmenopause.
Okay?
So there's a lot there.
Muscles are great at keeping youin that caloric burn, and I
don't want you to think, oh, wejust are gonna sit still and
(07:14):
burn muscles.
We need to actively strengthtrain to maintain and build
muscles.
It also helps you.
I'm gonna reiterate thisprocess, those carbs, and manage
those blood sugar levels, whichis so vital.
So let's zoom in a little bitmore.
What happens to muscle andmetabolism as we enter our
thirties and forties?
(07:35):
So as women, our hormone levelsdo begin to change, particularly
estrogen declines, which is itplays a huge role in muscle
preservation.
As estrogen drops, it can bemore challenging to maintain
muscle mass.
Especially without intentionaleffort.
So meaning if you are notengaged in a strength training
(07:58):
program, and as we get into ourthirties, estrogen is starting
to decrease.
Our muscle mass is going tostart to decrease.
So this is why it's so crucialfor women to strength train,
especially in our thirties andour forties.
So into, in addition to that, isthere's just a natural process
(08:20):
of aging.
Aging is going to happen, and Iwanna just establish that point
right there.
Aging is going to happen.
All the efforts that we takewith strength training will
help.
Slow that process.
What speeds that process up isif our body composition is low
(08:40):
on muscle, so our lean mass ismuscle, that aging process might
be sped up a bit because wedon't have that healthy
metabolic tissue there.
So as we lose muscle, we alsolose strength.
(09:01):
And this is a big one, bonedensity.
So when we start to lose bonedensity, our the, we have an
increase of osteoporosis.
Now, strength training, that'slike the key word for today,
helps preserve both of those.
So it helps keep that bonedensity there and the muscle.
(09:22):
So this isn't just metaboliclike essential for that
metabolic response.
It's for everyday function.
Injury prevention.
We don't tend to think aboutosteoporosis or even sarcopenia
until like when we think aboutthose, those type, those terms.
We think of somebody potentiallyin their sixties, seventies,
(09:45):
eighties, seventies and eightiesthere.
And when we think about boneloss and fractures, we picture
somebody seventies and eighties,however.
This stuff starts in ourthirties and a bit before.
When we start to see thoseshifts, which is in our
thirties, when we're most often,this is a generalization.
(10:09):
Most often we are in the processof still building our families.
If you choose that path, wemight also be in the thick of
our careers and getting ourcareers really hitting that.
You know, awesome track.
You know, we're out of ourtwenties.
We've maybe established ourcareer, established whether
(10:32):
we're building a family whereverwe're at.
So our thirties are such anintense time that what I have
seen and experienced to myself,my strength training and my even
cardio training will lump thatin.
But predominantly, my strengthtraining fell off a bit.
(10:54):
For me personally, I wasbuilding my family.
I had my first child at 29, mysecond child, oh gosh, when did
it have him?
When I was 32.
Was it 32?
Anyway you tend to forget theselittle things, but so I.
For me, there was a lot going onin my thirties.
I had a toddler, I had aninfant, and you're dealing with
(11:16):
sleepless nights.
I was also building a businessduring that time.
My strength training wasn't asI'm gonna say, intense and
intentional as it is now.
If you are in your thirties andyou're like, I am dealing with
baby through.
(11:37):
Eldest child getting ready to goto kindergarten, and you can't
even think about a strengthtraining program.
Then you hear this information,you're like, oh my goodness, I'm
setting myself up for failure.
I.
You are not.
That is the beauty about muscleis we can still build it.
What I would encourage you, ifyou were in that intense time
period, keeping your careerafloat, building your family,
(12:00):
you have infant to toddler, toalmost grade school kids is
start slowly start to just if,even if your consistency is one
time a week.
Brilliant.
Even if it's body weight.
Brilliant.
Okay, so little sidetrack there,because as I just threw a lot at
everyone, I don't want you tofeel as though, well, I've not
(12:24):
engaged in a strength trainingprogram.
Maybe you were in your fortiesand you're like, oh gosh, I
messed everything up.
Nobody messed everything up.
It's all good.
So let's get back into it.
Let's get into the nitty grittyof.
How to maintain and buildmuscle.
That is just the biggest thing.
There's so many programs outthere.
There's so many differentclasses.
(12:44):
There's so many different thingsoffered.
It is amazing, but it can beoverwhelming.
What I often hear fromindividuals is I've been
strength training, I've beendoing all these things, but I'm
not seeing results.
Let's get into that.
We wanna find the simplestrategies that we can
implement.
So strength training is we wantto aim for two to three full
(13:07):
body strength training sessionsper week.
We wanna focus on compoundmovements.
A compound movement withstrength training is exercises
that work multiple muscle groupsat once.
For instance, squats, lunges,deadlifts, pushups.
These exercise are veryeffective in building strength
(13:28):
and improving muscle mathwithout spending hours in the
gym.
Again, keyword there.
Hours.
We are not spending hours in thegym.
If you're like, well, I dostrength train two to three
times a week.
I go to two to three classes aweek.
We do squats.
There's weights involved.
Here is the pivotal point I.
(13:51):
It is important to includeprogressive overload in your
routine.
Okay?
What does that mean?
You might have seen this around.
This means you are graduallyincreasing the weight or
resistance you're using, so yourmuscles are always being
challenged.
So this encourages muscle growthand strength gains over time.
(14:15):
Okay, so what does that looklike?
This does not mean.
And it's all about programdesign, and I don't wanna
overcomplicate it here.
So the way my clients' programsare set up is they are engaging
in two to three full bodystrength training sessions per
week.
Their sessions include thecompound movements is when I
(14:37):
design them.
They're on a four week period.
Behind the scenes.
I have a whole master plan thatgoes.
You know, beyond that, fourweeks to a year, and I look at
how I wanna progress them from aweek to year, the month to a
year, et cetera.
That's kind of like the behindthe scenes situation.
(14:58):
Progressive overload.
When they do their workouts,they're focused on lifting a
weight that challenges them.
That is different for everysingle client.
They know that weight.
So we're gonna choose squats,and I'm gonna pick a random
number so we provide a littlebit more context.
(15:18):
With this example.
Let's say they're doing squats,dumbbell squats, make it real
simple.
And they start out with 25 pounddumbbells, one in each hand, and
they're doing squats.
So that's about 50 pounds loadon the body.
They do the prescribed sets andreps over the next three to four
weeks.
And on that week three to four,what they're noticing is.
(15:38):
That weight, it starts to becomeeasier to move from there.
We want them to increase thatweight, so they might go up to
30 pounds, so we're adding anadditional.
Load or resistance on that bodyto continue progressing that
muscle to get stronger.
(15:59):
That is what progressiveoverload is.
There's a few other things thatcan go into it, but on the
surface level, we want to beprogressing the weight that is
lifted so that the muscle isgetting stronger and the tension
is being put on the tendons andligaments and the bone to keep
that bone density.
(16:19):
Strength training isn't just theonly thing.
It's also about recovery too.
This is something that's notalways talked about in the
fitness world, is.
Rest and sleep are just asimportant as training is itself.
Okay?
Muscle grows and repairs whenwe're at rest, especially during
(16:39):
deep sleep.
Deep sleep, not just resting inbed.
We want that deep sleep that isimportant for recovery, that is
important for your body torepair itself.
Estimated you wanna get aboutseven to nine hours of sleep per
night to support muscle.
You might be like.
I have toddlers and babies athome.
(17:02):
I cannot get a full night'ssleep.
I want to get a full night'ssleep, but I am up in the middle
of the night.
Do not stress that your strengthtraining that you're currently
doing now is null and voidbecause you have young children
who are dependent on you in themiddle of the night.
If you have a smart watch, startto look at how you're sleeping.
Even with the interruptions ofyoung children, look at the
(17:25):
breakdown of your sleep, yourdeep sleep, light sleep, and
your rem.
Typically, we wanna get onaverage per night,'cause you're
never gonna get seven to ninehours of deep sleep.
That's not how we want.
We want the cycles of sleep.
You're gonna come in and out ofthe cycles of sleep.
That deep sleep, on average, ahealthy amount, where we're
getting that good, solidrecovery is gonna look different
(17:46):
for every person is reallybetween 90.
Minutes to two hours, over thatseven to nine hours of sleep
might be more.
For some, it might be less.
If you can, and if you are inthat time period where you are
having interrupted sleep, what Ihighly recommend is with your
partner, coordinating times inwhich you can get that
(18:06):
uninterrupted sleep.
May not be every night, butsplit the duties if possible.
That is a way to help give backto you, so you are getting that
essential rest and sleep thatyour body demands if you do not
have that ability.
Please do not think that yourworkouts aren't helping maintain
(18:28):
your strength with that.
What I would say is when you arestrength training, make sure you
are tuning into your body.
And not bulldozing through andforcing your body, overworking
your body, really.
We don't wanna overly stress itto the point where you can't
(18:49):
recover and you're feelingabsolutely drained and exhausted
all the time because you don'thave that sleep backing it.
That is not a state that wewanna live in.
So nutrition is also a big pieceof this.
So when I go over this, I don'twant you to feel if you're not
doing it all, none of it willwork.
These are, I'm just presentingthese fundamental blocks to help
(19:09):
the best outcome.
I have been there with my kids,being young, as I said before,
in my thirties, my strengthtraining was, oh my goodness.
It was, it was all over theplace.
My nutrition too, and my sleep.
But now I'm in my forties andthings are clicking.
I am seeing results.
I am seeing.
(19:29):
I am gonna say the change Iwant.
I'm feeling the power, I'mfeeling that confidence in my
body, and I also see it with myclients too.
So please do not feel like thereis no hope this season will
pass.
So focus right now on what youcan do, and please do not
chastise yourself or shameyourself of things that you,
(19:50):
it's just not in your capacitybecause seasons will change.
So with nutrition.
Protein is essential for musclerepair and growth to simplify
this, okay, because there is arange, we want one and a half to
2.2 grams per pound for bodyweight, or to simplify it, I
(20:12):
always do the one for one, onegram of protein for one pound of
body weight.
Okay?
If you are someone who istraining for an athletic event,
you know, for me, I'm an ultramarathoner, a, you know, an
endurance.
So my protein, I bump it up alittle bit more because I'm
(20:33):
putting more of a stress on mybody with those training
adaptations.
But really a one for one isawesome if you can get more.
Fantastic.
So that is the one thing aboutprotein.
Protein is the onlymacronutrient that we cannot
store in our body.
So that's.
Sometimes why you hear peoplescreaming about protein,
protein, protein, get yourprotein, any type of protein,
(20:55):
animal-based or plant-based isjust as brilliant.
Do not feel like you have to benull on a Turkey leg as soon as
you wake up.
Protein is protein.
What I would say in regards toprotein is please make sure you
are getting whole food proteinthroughout the day.
Protein shakes are brilliant.
(21:15):
Protein products that arepackaged out there are, can help
substitute, but they should notbe the primary source of your
protein per day.
Admittedly, yes, I love myself,a good protein shake.
I utilize them in my every day,but they are not the primary
source of the backing of myprotein.
(21:36):
I look at animal-based as wellas plant-based.
And I get, make sure I'm gettingthose in every time I'm eating,
whether it be in the threesquare meals, breakfast, lunch,
and dinner, if I'm having asnack that day.
Let's dive into muscle healthfor women and when we're going
through menopause.
So we've discussed lightly.
(21:56):
Hormones are a whole othertopic, but we've discussed how
estrogen, when it starts todecline, it impacts our muscle.
So when estrogen decreases, itaccelerates.
The muscle loss.
You heard me talk before thatonce we hit 30, we average
three, three to 8%.
I almost said three to 33 to 8%of muscle loss per decade.
(22:21):
Again, that doesn't sound like alot, but it does impact you.
Then when you start to get intothat perimenopause through
menopause, the estrogen startsto decrease and that
accelerates.
Muscle loss.
This is why it is vital that weare strength training to help
(22:43):
fortify our bodies as we gothrough menopause.
When, and, and this is also whywe feel that I had a great
metabolism, but now it's not.
It is just so slow.
The way to quote unquote speedup your metabolism is by gaining
muscle.
(23:04):
Maintaining muscle.
Muscle is a metabolic organ, asI said before.
At rest, it burns more calories,it uses more energy at rest and
at work.
This is something that is goingto help you prevent weight,
(23:25):
gain, energy, di dips, and justfeeling that loss of.
Vitality that tends to happen asmenopause approaches and you go
through it.
Okay, so strength training isyour BSF.
As we progress through thedecades, if you can preserve
that muscle mass, I.
(23:46):
Maintain that healthy metabolismand it will help combat those
symptoms that you get withmenopause.
Hot flashes, mood swings, andfatigue.
It does not eliminate them.
Studies show when you arestrength training and when you
maintain that muscle mass aswell as gaining it, the
menopausal symptoms.
(24:06):
You tend to have a better timeas you go through it.
So this is just why it isimportant to prioritize that
muscle building during thisphase of life.
So what I specifically do when aclient comes in, I literally
look at that whole person.
Who are they?
Where are they at in their life?
What is their background?
What have they done?
What?
I just wanna know who they arebecause when I'm building a plan
(24:28):
for someone, I wanna make sureit meets their needs.
It meets them where they are andelevates them to where they
wanna go.
I want them to build thatmuscle, but overall, that
vitality, that strength, thatenergy and that resilience,
because we're here to be moreand live more and do the things
we want.
(24:49):
The last thing I want is anindividual to feel inhibited in
their body because.
They're moving through thedecades of life.
So that's why I structure myplan to meet each individual
where they're at, so that theymaintain that muscle and
metabolism through all ourstages.
Let me give you a few verypractical tips to help you take
(25:10):
action.
Start with two to three strengthtraining sessions per week using
compound exercises, squats,lunges.
Planks pushups graduallyincrease your weights.
So progressive overload is key.
Focus on protein at every meal,and also consider doing that at
(25:32):
your post-workout.
Nutrition.
Prioritize rest.
Especially sleep.
Sleep allows you to recover.
So we want those muscles to havegreat recovery so that all that
awesome work you've put in inyour workout session, you reap
the benefits of it.
(25:53):
And most importantly, beconsistent.
Building muscle is a a long-termcommitment.
Commitment, but it genuinelypays off.
I wanna say this again, it's along term commitment, does not
mean you won't see results.
I wanna just make thatdistinction there.
(26:15):
Long term doesn't mean noresults.
Long term means sustainability.
We want to be able to bestronger in each subsequent
decorate.
Be consistent.
Focus on getting those qualitystrength trace training sessions
in.
If you're like, I am lost, Ijust want to know what to do, I
(26:39):
don't wanna think aboutanything.
I want a program that just doesit for me.
I got you.
Let's talk in the show notes.
Click on the link, let's.
Let's get on a call and let'stalk and see if we're a good fit
because this is what I do.
This is what I've been doing fortwo decades.
I have clients who are, oh mygoodness, some I am so inspired
(27:04):
by.
They have super busy lives.
Yet they show up and I'm excitedfor them because their program
works for them and their life,and they're seeing the strength,
the mobility, and the recovery,and creating that flexibility
with a sustainable plan thatworks for that.
Takeaways here, muscle playssuch a pivotal role in your
(27:24):
metabolism, energy, and overallhealth, especially in your
thirties and forties and beyond.
Strength training isn't justabout looking good.
Sure.
That is such a awesome sideeffect, but it's about feeling
strong and energetic so thatyou're capable in every stage of
life.
Again, if you want someguidance, check out Cat Fit.
You know I'm here to help youbuild the strength for life.
(27:45):
Thank you for tuning in to MilesHome Review, powered by Cat Fit
Strength.
If this podcast inspires you,don't keep it for yourself.
Hit follow or subscribe to Stayupdated on the new episodes and
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space.
Your feedback fuels this podcastand I'd love to hear what's
(28:06):
working for you or what topicsyou want to dive into Next.
You can connect with me onInstagram at Cat Fit Strength or
share this episode with a friendwho is ready to embrace her
strength.
Remember, fitness isn't aboutperfection.
It's about showing up foryourself and finding strength in
every step of your journey.
Until next time, keep movingforward one mile at a time.
Have you ever wondered why your metabolism slows down as
you age, or maybe you wonderedwhy it feels so hard to keep
muscle tone after your thirties?
In this episode, we're gonnabreak down.
Why muscle is essential for yourmetabolism, especially as a
woman in your thirties andbeyond.
I'm also gonna break down thescience behind muscle loss and
(00:20):
why strength training should beyour ne new best friend and how
you can maintain and evenincrease muscle mass through
simple effective strategies.
So let's dive in.
Welcome to MilesFromHerView.
The podcast powered by Kat FitStrength, where busy women like
you find practical solutions tofuel your fitness journey with
authenticity and resilience.
(00:41):
I'm Kat, your host, a mom of twoactive boys, a business owner,
and an ultra marathon runner anda strength trainer in her
forties with nearly two decadesof experience.
I'm here to help you cut throughthe noise of fads, hacks, and
quick fixes.
This is a space where wecelebrate womanhood and
motherhood.
All while building strength andresilience and reconnecting with
(01:04):
you from a place ofself-compassion and worthiness.
Whether you're lacing up yourrunning shoes to go out for a
run, driving your kids topractice or squeezing in a
moment for yourself, I'm righthere in the trenches with you.
Let's dive in.
Welcome back toMilesFromHerView.
I'm Kat and I am your host.
I am loving the weather we arehaving right now.
(01:27):
I know I've.
If you've been listening to thelast couple episodes, I've been
chatting about the weather, itis still February.
The last day of February.
I'm so excited that March iscoming up because that's the
official start, or halfwaythrough.
March is the official start ofspring and I'm in the Northeast
in Pennsylvania and it has beena bit.
(01:50):
A cold, cold, wintery of winter,just a lot of winter.
So I am excited.
This week has been mild.
The sun is out, the sky is blue.
I've just felt this renewedsense of energy, so I hope
wherever you're tuning in from,you are being blessed with some
(02:11):
amazing weather and you are alsofeeling that energy.
So today we're gonna be divinginto the topic that is so
crucial and I am so passionateabout it, is something that gets
very nuanced.
A lot of fitness and wellnessgets very nuanced, especially in
a world flooded with socialmedia.
There's a lot of great, I.
(02:31):
Content out there, however itcan get hidden.
Being in the business, knowingthe information, and having two
decades of experience withfitness strength training run
training, all the things,training athletes to everyday
individuals.
I too get confused with a lot ofthings.
(02:52):
So today we're gonna be focusingon muscle and metabolism.
And you may not know theconnection, but I'm gonna
connect the two.
The idea of muscle buildingseems like something that's
reserved for bodybuilders orathletes.
We think about those individualswho spend hours in the gym
focusing on a certain.
(03:13):
Muscle to grow that, or trainingfor an athletic event or a on a
team event or an individualathletic event.
But actually it is extremelyvital for our own fitness,
health, and energy levels as weprogress through the decades,
especially thirties and fortiesand beyond.
(03:35):
It is so, so vital.
I cannot stress that enough.
So.
Whether you're just starting tothink about this or maybe you've
been trying to understand what'sgoing on with your own
metabolism.
So we're gonna break this downtoday.
We're gonna go over why muscleis so important for metabolism,
how you can maintain and buildmuscle, and how muscle health
(03:57):
plays a role in.
Everything from energy levels,bone density, especially as we
transition through perimenopauseto menopause.
The other thing I am going totalk about is cat fit.
That is my business, and I am inthe business of helping women.
Build strength, feel empowered,and get back to moving the way
(04:19):
they want to, or maybe movingthe way you've always want to.
I have seen it not only formyself, but also for my clients,
that building a strengthtraining routine that works for
your life and not against it.
So I'm gonna share a little bitof that as we go through this.
Let's start by talking aboutmuscle mass itself.
(04:40):
We often don't think aboutmuscles as an organ.
But it actually is, it's thelargest organ in your body.
Muscle tissue is.
So incredibly metabolicallyactive, meaning it burns energy,
more energy at rest than fattissue, more muscle mass.
(05:01):
We have more calories we burneven at rest, or if you're
working out, because as we age,muscle mass naturally declines.
So studies show that after theage of 30, we start to lose
about three to 8% of musclemass.
Per decade.
It may not sound like a lot, butit does add up, and this process
(05:25):
is called sarcopenia.
It also leads to the slowdown ofmetabolism.
This makes it harder to manageour weight, keep up with daily
activities, and maintainstrength as we get older.
But here's the good news.
Okay.
Strength training is the bestway to combat natural decline.
(05:45):
Right.
I, I wanna screen that throughthe rooftops and we're gonna
dive into, not now we're, we'regonna stay in the sciencey bit,
but just what does strengthtraining mean and methods you
can apply.
So that you are seeing thebenefits, not only just
metabolically, but why musclemass is important for your own
independence as we've progressedthrough the the decades.
(06:07):
So why does muscle matter formetabolism specifically?
Let's, let's get a little intothis here.
Muscle is responsible forincreasing the resting metabolic
rate.
This means you're maintaining orbuilding muscle, you're burning.
This means if you aremaintaining or building muscle.
You are burning more caloriesall day long, even when you are
(06:30):
sitting, working at yourcomputer, sitting at night
watching a Netflix binge.
Muscles also, and this is veryimportant, improve insulin
sensitivity.
If you have more muscle, it'sgoing to help you better process
carbohydrates, manage bloodsugar levels, and this is very
(06:51):
crucial for overall medical ormetabolic health.
There muscles just don't keepyour metabolism humming along.
It's also linked to hormonalbalance.
Particularly as you approachmenopause.
Okay?
So there's a lot there.
Muscles are great at keeping youin that caloric burn, and I
don't want you to think, oh, wejust are gonna sit still and
(07:14):
burn muscles.
We need to actively strengthtrain to maintain and build
muscles.
It also helps you.
I'm gonna reiterate thisprocess, those carbs, and manage
those blood sugar levels, whichis so vital.
So let's zoom in a little bitmore.
What happens to muscle andmetabolism as we enter our
thirties and forties?
(07:35):
So as women, our hormone levelsdo begin to change, particularly
estrogen declines, which is itplays a huge role in muscle
preservation.
As estrogen drops, it can bemore challenging to maintain
muscle mass.
Especially without intentionaleffort.
So meaning if you are notengaged in a strength training
(07:58):
program, and as we get into ourthirties, estrogen is starting
to decrease.
Our muscle mass is going tostart to decrease.
So this is why it's so crucialfor women to strength train,
especially in our thirties andour forties.
So into, in addition to that, isthere's just a natural process
(08:20):
of aging.
Aging is going to happen, and Iwanna just establish that point
right there.
Aging is going to happen.
All the efforts that we takewith strength training will
help.
Slow that process.
What speeds that process up isif our body composition is low
(08:40):
on muscle, so our lean mass ismuscle, that aging process might
be sped up a bit because wedon't have that healthy
metabolic tissue there.
So as we lose muscle, we alsolose strength.
(09:01):
And this is a big one, bonedensity.
So when we start to lose bonedensity, our the, we have an
increase of osteoporosis.
Now, strength training, that'slike the key word for today,
helps preserve both of those.
So it helps keep that bonedensity there and the muscle.
(09:22):
So this isn't just metaboliclike essential for that
metabolic response.
It's for everyday function.
Injury prevention.
We don't tend to think aboutosteoporosis or even sarcopenia
until like when we think aboutthose, those type, those terms.
We think of somebody potentiallyin their sixties, seventies,
(09:45):
eighties, seventies and eightiesthere.
And when we think about boneloss and fractures, we picture
somebody seventies and eighties,however.
This stuff starts in ourthirties and a bit before.
When we start to see thoseshifts, which is in our
thirties, when we're most often,this is a generalization.
(10:09):
Most often we are in the processof still building our families.
If you choose that path, wemight also be in the thick of
our careers and getting ourcareers really hitting that.
You know, awesome track.
You know, we're out of ourtwenties.
We've maybe established ourcareer, established whether
(10:32):
we're building a family whereverwe're at.
So our thirties are such anintense time that what I have
seen and experienced to myself,my strength training and my even
cardio training will lump thatin.
But predominantly, my strengthtraining fell off a bit.
(10:54):
For me personally, I wasbuilding my family.
I had my first child at 29, mysecond child, oh gosh, when did
it have him?
When I was 32.
Was it 32?
Anyway you tend to forget theselittle things, but so I.
For me, there was a lot going onin my thirties.
I had a toddler, I had aninfant, and you're dealing with
(11:16):
sleepless nights.
I was also building a businessduring that time.
My strength training wasn't asI'm gonna say, intense and
intentional as it is now.
If you are in your thirties andyou're like, I am dealing with
baby through.
(11:37):
Eldest child getting ready to goto kindergarten, and you can't
even think about a strengthtraining program.
Then you hear this information,you're like, oh my goodness, I'm
setting myself up for failure.
I.
You are not.
That is the beauty about muscleis we can still build it.
What I would encourage you, ifyou were in that intense time
period, keeping your careerafloat, building your family,
(12:00):
you have infant to toddler, toalmost grade school kids is
start slowly start to just if,even if your consistency is one
time a week.
Brilliant.
Even if it's body weight.
Brilliant.
Okay, so little sidetrack there,because as I just threw a lot at
everyone, I don't want you tofeel as though, well, I've not
(12:24):
engaged in a strength trainingprogram.
Maybe you were in your fortiesand you're like, oh gosh, I
messed everything up.
Nobody messed everything up.
It's all good.
So let's get back into it.
Let's get into the nitty grittyof.
How to maintain and buildmuscle.
That is just the biggest thing.
There's so many programs outthere.
There's so many differentclasses.
(12:44):
There's so many different thingsoffered.
It is amazing, but it can beoverwhelming.
What I often hear fromindividuals is I've been
strength training, I've beendoing all these things, but I'm
not seeing results.
Let's get into that.
We wanna find the simplestrategies that we can
implement.
So strength training is we wantto aim for two to three full
(13:07):
body strength training sessionsper week.
We wanna focus on compoundmovements.
A compound movement withstrength training is exercises
that work multiple muscle groupsat once.
For instance, squats, lunges,deadlifts, pushups.
These exercise are veryeffective in building strength
(13:28):
and improving muscle mathwithout spending hours in the
gym.
Again, keyword there.
Hours.
We are not spending hours in thegym.
If you're like, well, I dostrength train two to three
times a week.
I go to two to three classes aweek.
We do squats.
There's weights involved.
Here is the pivotal point I.
(13:51):
It is important to includeprogressive overload in your
routine.
Okay?
What does that mean?
You might have seen this around.
This means you are graduallyincreasing the weight or
resistance you're using, so yourmuscles are always being
challenged.
So this encourages muscle growthand strength gains over time.
(14:15):
Okay, so what does that looklike?
This does not mean.
And it's all about programdesign, and I don't wanna
overcomplicate it here.
So the way my clients' programsare set up is they are engaging
in two to three full bodystrength training sessions per
week.
Their sessions include thecompound movements is when I
(14:37):
design them.
They're on a four week period.
Behind the scenes.
I have a whole master plan thatgoes.
You know, beyond that, fourweeks to a year, and I look at
how I wanna progress them from aweek to year, the month to a
year, et cetera.
That's kind of like the behindthe scenes situation.
(14:58):
Progressive overload.
When they do their workouts,they're focused on lifting a
weight that challenges them.
That is different for everysingle client.
They know that weight.
So we're gonna choose squats,and I'm gonna pick a random
number so we provide a littlebit more context.
(15:18):
With this example.
Let's say they're doing squats,dumbbell squats, make it real
simple.
And they start out with 25 pounddumbbells, one in each hand, and
they're doing squats.
So that's about 50 pounds loadon the body.
They do the prescribed sets andreps over the next three to four
weeks.
And on that week three to four,what they're noticing is.
(15:38):
That weight, it starts to becomeeasier to move from there.
We want them to increase thatweight, so they might go up to
30 pounds, so we're adding anadditional.
Load or resistance on that bodyto continue progressing that
muscle to get stronger.
(15:59):
That is what progressiveoverload is.
There's a few other things thatcan go into it, but on the
surface level, we want to beprogressing the weight that is
lifted so that the muscle isgetting stronger and the tension
is being put on the tendons andligaments and the bone to keep
that bone density.
(16:19):
Strength training isn't just theonly thing.
It's also about recovery too.
This is something that's notalways talked about in the
fitness world, is.
Rest and sleep are just asimportant as training is itself.
Okay?
Muscle grows and repairs whenwe're at rest, especially during
(16:39):
deep sleep.
Deep sleep, not just resting inbed.
We want that deep sleep that isimportant for recovery, that is
important for your body torepair itself.
Estimated you wanna get aboutseven to nine hours of sleep per
night to support muscle.
You might be like.
I have toddlers and babies athome.
(17:02):
I cannot get a full night'ssleep.
I want to get a full night'ssleep, but I am up in the middle
of the night.
Do not stress that your strengthtraining that you're currently
doing now is null and voidbecause you have young children
who are dependent on you in themiddle of the night.
If you have a smart watch, startto look at how you're sleeping.
Even with the interruptions ofyoung children, look at the
(17:25):
breakdown of your sleep, yourdeep sleep, light sleep, and
your rem.
Typically, we wanna get onaverage per night,'cause you're
never gonna get seven to ninehours of deep sleep.
That's not how we want.
We want the cycles of sleep.
You're gonna come in and out ofthe cycles of sleep.
That deep sleep, on average, ahealthy amount, where we're
getting that good, solidrecovery is gonna look different
(17:46):
for every person is reallybetween 90.
Minutes to two hours, over thatseven to nine hours of sleep
might be more.
For some, it might be less.
If you can, and if you are inthat time period where you are
having interrupted sleep, what Ihighly recommend is with your
partner, coordinating times inwhich you can get that
(18:06):
uninterrupted sleep.
May not be every night, butsplit the duties if possible.
That is a way to help give backto you, so you are getting that
essential rest and sleep thatyour body demands if you do not
have that ability.
Please do not think that yourworkouts aren't helping maintain
(18:28):
your strength with that.
What I would say is when you arestrength training, make sure you
are tuning into your body.
And not bulldozing through andforcing your body, overworking
your body, really.
We don't wanna overly stress itto the point where you can't
(18:49):
recover and you're feelingabsolutely drained and exhausted
all the time because you don'thave that sleep backing it.
That is not a state that wewanna live in.
So nutrition is also a big pieceof this.
So when I go over this, I don'twant you to feel if you're not
doing it all, none of it willwork.
These are, I'm just presentingthese fundamental blocks to help
(19:09):
the best outcome.
I have been there with my kids,being young, as I said before,
in my thirties, my strengthtraining was, oh my goodness.
It was, it was all over theplace.
My nutrition too, and my sleep.
But now I'm in my forties andthings are clicking.
I am seeing results.
I am seeing.
(19:29):
I am gonna say the change Iwant.
I'm feeling the power, I'mfeeling that confidence in my
body, and I also see it with myclients too.
So please do not feel like thereis no hope this season will
pass.
So focus right now on what youcan do, and please do not
chastise yourself or shameyourself of things that you,
(19:50):
it's just not in your capacitybecause seasons will change.
So with nutrition.
Protein is essential for musclerepair and growth to simplify
this, okay, because there is arange, we want one and a half to
2.2 grams per pound for bodyweight, or to simplify it, I
(20:12):
always do the one for one, onegram of protein for one pound of
body weight.
Okay?
If you are someone who istraining for an athletic event,
you know, for me, I'm an ultramarathoner, a, you know, an
endurance.
So my protein, I bump it up alittle bit more because I'm
(20:33):
putting more of a stress on mybody with those training
adaptations.
But really a one for one isawesome if you can get more.
Fantastic.
So that is the one thing aboutprotein.
Protein is the onlymacronutrient that we cannot
store in our body.
So that's.
Sometimes why you hear peoplescreaming about protein,
protein, protein, get yourprotein, any type of protein,
(20:55):
animal-based or plant-based isjust as brilliant.
Do not feel like you have to benull on a Turkey leg as soon as
you wake up.
Protein is protein.
What I would say in regards toprotein is please make sure you
are getting whole food proteinthroughout the day.
Protein shakes are brilliant.
(21:15):
Protein products that arepackaged out there are, can help
substitute, but they should notbe the primary source of your
protein per day.
Admittedly, yes, I love myself,a good protein shake.
I utilize them in my every day,but they are not the primary
source of the backing of myprotein.
(21:36):
I look at animal-based as wellas plant-based.
And I get, make sure I'm gettingthose in every time I'm eating,
whether it be in the threesquare meals, breakfast, lunch,
and dinner, if I'm having asnack that day.
Let's dive into muscle healthfor women and when we're going
through menopause.
So we've discussed lightly.
(21:56):
Hormones are a whole othertopic, but we've discussed how
estrogen, when it starts todecline, it impacts our muscle.
So when estrogen decreases, itaccelerates.
The muscle loss.
You heard me talk before thatonce we hit 30, we average
three, three to 8%.
I almost said three to 33 to 8%of muscle loss per decade.
(22:21):
Again, that doesn't sound like alot, but it does impact you.
Then when you start to get intothat perimenopause through
menopause, the estrogen startsto decrease and that
accelerates.
Muscle loss.
This is why it is vital that weare strength training to help
(22:43):
fortify our bodies as we gothrough menopause.
When, and, and this is also whywe feel that I had a great
metabolism, but now it's not.
It is just so slow.
The way to quote unquote speedup your metabolism is by gaining
muscle.
(23:04):
Maintaining muscle.
Muscle is a metabolic organ, asI said before.
At rest, it burns more calories,it uses more energy at rest and
at work.
This is something that is goingto help you prevent weight,
(23:25):
gain, energy, di dips, and justfeeling that loss of.
Vitality that tends to happen asmenopause approaches and you go
through it.
Okay, so strength training isyour BSF.
As we progress through thedecades, if you can preserve
that muscle mass, I.
(23:46):
Maintain that healthy metabolismand it will help combat those
symptoms that you get withmenopause.
Hot flashes, mood swings, andfatigue.
It does not eliminate them.
Studies show when you arestrength training and when you
maintain that muscle mass aswell as gaining it, the
menopausal symptoms.
(24:06):
You tend to have a better timeas you go through it.
So this is just why it isimportant to prioritize that
muscle building during thisphase of life.
So what I specifically do when aclient comes in, I literally
look at that whole person.
Who are they?
Where are they at in their life?
What is their background?
What have they done?
What?
I just wanna know who they arebecause when I'm building a plan
(24:28):
for someone, I wanna make sureit meets their needs.
It meets them where they are andelevates them to where they
wanna go.
I want them to build thatmuscle, but overall, that
vitality, that strength, thatenergy and that resilience,
because we're here to be moreand live more and do the things
we want.
(24:49):
The last thing I want is anindividual to feel inhibited in
their body because.
They're moving through thedecades of life.
So that's why I structure myplan to meet each individual
where they're at, so that theymaintain that muscle and
metabolism through all ourstages.
Let me give you a few verypractical tips to help you take
(25:10):
action.
Start with two to three strengthtraining sessions per week using
compound exercises, squats,lunges.
Planks pushups graduallyincrease your weights.
So progressive overload is key.
Focus on protein at every meal,and also consider doing that at
(25:32):
your post-workout.
Nutrition.
Prioritize rest.
Especially sleep.
Sleep allows you to recover.
So we want those muscles to havegreat recovery so that all that
awesome work you've put in inyour workout session, you reap
the benefits of it.
(25:53):
And most importantly, beconsistent.
Building muscle is a a long-termcommitment.
Commitment, but it genuinelypays off.
I wanna say this again, it's along term commitment, does not
mean you won't see results.
I wanna just make thatdistinction there.
(26:15):
Long term doesn't mean noresults.
Long term means sustainability.
We want to be able to bestronger in each subsequent
decorate.
Be consistent.
Focus on getting those qualitystrength trace training sessions
in.
If you're like, I am lost, Ijust want to know what to do, I
(26:39):
don't wanna think aboutanything.
I want a program that just doesit for me.
I got you.
Let's talk in the show notes.
Click on the link, let's.
Let's get on a call and let'stalk and see if we're a good fit
because this is what I do.
This is what I've been doing fortwo decades.
I have clients who are, oh mygoodness, some I am so inspired
(27:04):
by.
They have super busy lives.
Yet they show up and I'm excitedfor them because their program
works for them and their life,and they're seeing the strength,
the mobility, and the recovery,and creating that flexibility
with a sustainable plan thatworks for that.
Takeaways here, muscle playssuch a pivotal role in your
(27:24):
metabolism, energy, and overallhealth, especially in your
thirties and forties and beyond.
Strength training isn't justabout looking good.
Sure.
That is such a awesome sideeffect, but it's about feeling
strong and energetic so thatyou're capable in every stage of
life.
Again, if you want someguidance, check out Cat Fit.
You know I'm here to help youbuild the strength for life.
(27:45):
Thank you for tuning in to MilesHome Review, powered by Cat Fit
Strength.
If this podcast inspires you,don't keep it for yourself.
Hit follow or subscribe to Stayupdated on the new episodes and
leave us a review to help morewomen and moms discover this
space.
Your feedback fuels this podcastand I'd love to hear what's
(28:06):
working for you or what topicsyou want to dive into Next.
You can connect with me onInstagram at Cat Fit Strength or
share this episode with a friendwho is ready to embrace her
strength.
Remember, fitness isn't aboutperfection.
It's about showing up foryourself and finding strength in
every step of your journey.
Until next time, keep movingforward one mile at a time.
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