January 1, 2025 • 29 mins
It's me speaking with you this week offering my perspective on midlife health, focusing on building long-term vitality through strength training, mindful eating, and sustainable lifestyle changes. It's time to ditch the quick-fix mentality and embrace lasting results. Together, we'll explore the importance of being mindful about sugar consumption, the crucial role that muscle plays in metabolism, and the often-overlooked implications of relying on medications for weight loss.
We dive into the unique challenges women face during midlife and how to navigate them with confidence and clarity. One of the key topics we cover is the importance of maintaining muscle mass, not just for aesthetics, but for overall health and well-being. In a world dominated by dieting culture and the pressure of caloric restriction, we challenge these limiting ideas and encourage a healthier, more balanced approach to nourishment.
Hidden sugars in processed foods are another major topic, as they can impact cravings and derail our best intentions. We'll uncover how to make smarter food choices, emphasizing balanced nutrition rich in protein and fiber. We’ll also explore the distinction between weight loss and fat loss, empowering you to prioritize sustainable fat loss strategies that support long-term health.
Additionally, we take a closer look at GLP-1 medications and their role in health, helping you understand their potential benefits and limitations. Plus, we offer practical advice on incorporating regular exercise and hydration into your daily routine, helping you feel strong, energized, and ready to take on whatever comes next.
If you’re ready to take the next step and want to learn more about coaching or working with me, please don’t hesitate to reach out. There’s no pressure, just a chance for us to chat and explore what’s best for you. This is the perfect time of year to reassess your health and lifestyle.
Take a moment to reflect on what you want to achieve in the next 6 to 12 months, but also think about the bigger picture—what do you want your life and health to look like in the next 10, 20, or even 30 years? The power to create lasting change is in your hands.
_________________________________________
Are you ready to reclaim your midlife body and health? I went through my own personal journey through menopause, the struggle with midsection weight gain, and feeling run-down. Faster Way, a transformative six-week group program, set me on the path to sustainable change. I'd love to work with you! Let me help you reach your health and fitness goals.
https://www.fasterwaycoach.com/?aid=MicheleFolan
Have questions about Faster Way? Please email me at:
mfolanfasterway@gmail.com
After trying countless products that overpromised and underdelivered, RIMAN skincare finally gave me real, visible results—restoring my glow, firmness, and confidence in my skin at 61. RIMAN Korea's #1 Skincare Line - https://michelefolan.riman.com
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**This podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional healthcare services, including the giving of medical advice. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their healthcare professionals for any such conditions.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Michele Folan (00:04):
Health, wellness, fitness and everything in
between.
We're removing the taboo fromwhat really matters in midlife.
I'm your host, Michele Folan,and this is Asking for a Friend.
Welcome to the very first showof 2025.
(00:25):
I am so excited that you'rehere.
Everyone had a wonderful holidayand kind of finally getting
back in the swing of things.
I know I took some time offaround Christmas time to spend
time with family and entertainand it was wonderful and
(00:47):
entertain and it was wonderful,but it was exhausting and almost
getting back to work and myroutine actually helped me catch
up on some sleep and so I'mfeeling energized and really
ready to hit the ground runningin the new year.
I decided for this first showof 2025 to make this a solo show
.
I haven't done one of these ina very long time and I really
(01:09):
feel like now that I have beendoing this podcast for almost
three years and also having beena coach most of 2024, I've got
a lot to share and a lot of itis based on many of the
questions I get from clients andalso listeners to the show, and
(01:32):
these are really centeredaround midlife health and
wellness, and I know we talkabout that quite a bit on the
podcast, but these are veryspecific to this time in our
lives and our changing bodiesand how we may need to address
things a little differently toget results.
I want to say first of all, ifyou are struggling with your
(01:55):
weight and your changing body,you are not broken and you are
certainly not alone.
So don't think for one minutethat the situation that you're
in right now is not reversible,because it is, and we're going
to talk a lot about that.
I do blame diet culture for alot of the mindset and some of
(02:20):
the approaches that we havetaken that haven't worked for us
.
They've failed us.
But you know, there's also thedecline in hormones and with
that we start to lose muscle.
And when we lose muscle, theregoes our metabolism.
Muscle drives your metabolism.
And so back to that mindsetcomment that I just made, we
(02:44):
have to make a shift and we haveto start thinking in terms of
prioritizing being strong ratherthan being thin, because we
need to have that muscle.
Well, first of all, why do weneed muscle?
So it's not just for metabolism, right?
(03:05):
So it's good for balance, helpsour core strength so we can get
up out of a seated position, ithelps with bone health and
because I don't want to be thatwoman that falls on the floor
and is so frail that I can't getup.
If you can't get up from aseated position, out of a chair
without pushing off with yourhands, then it's time to hit the
(03:28):
weights and working on yourcore.
And I did a video I think itwas December 6th of 2024, and it
showed how to get up off thefloor without using your hands.
Now, if you can get up off thefloor just using one hand,
that's terrific, but theultimate goal would be to be
(03:50):
able to get up off the floorwithout using either of your
hands.
And the reason and I state thisin the video is when we fall,
we oftentimes break our fallwith our hands, which can result
in broken bones, fractures ofthe wrists.
The wrist is typically thefirst bone that women fracture.
(04:14):
So if you're lying on the floorand you have broken one wrist
or God forbid two then you needto be able to get yourself up so
you can get help.
So I'm just throwing that outthere, but check it out on
Instagram.
So I want to address this issueof our bodies holding on to fat
(04:35):
at this point in our lives.
So we talked about muscle andthe importance of having enough
muscle to drive our metabolism.
Having enough muscle to driveour metabolism.
If you are in a calorie deficitand still not losing weight,
then your body is holding ontofat.
If you are doing a ton ofcardio and still not seeing body
(04:57):
changes, then your body isholding onto fat.
And if you haven't changedanything in your lifestyle and
you're still gaining weight,then your body is probably
holding onto fat.
Here's the thing.
Just eating less is not goingto get you the body that you
(05:18):
want, and just doing a bunch ofcardio is not going to produce
results.
You may have heard me say alongthe line somewhere that our
bodies are still programmed fromwhen we lived in caves, when
there was famine, scarcity offood.
Our bodies are very good athanging onto fat so that we can
(05:42):
survive.
If you are doing one of these1200 or less calorie a day diets
, you probably aren't going toget the results that you desire.
You might get some temporaryweight loss at the beginning,
but then your body is going toget smart and shut down your
metabolism.
(06:03):
And, if you really think aboutit, 1,200 calories a day is the
caloric intake that a very younggirl is supposed to get, not a
grown woman.
If you work with me, you'regoing to be eating a lot more
than 1,200 calories a day, andit can seem uncomfortable at
first for some people who arenot used to eating that much,
(06:24):
but the point of that is to getyour metabolism going again.
This helps fuel you, itprovides you energy and gives
you that boost that you need toget through workouts and a long
walk and not to fall asleep inthe middle of the afternoon.
So there is a method to themadness in eating more to lose
(06:46):
weight.
All right.
The other thing is we've got tostart maybe reading labels a
little more closely, and I'llexplain this.
So we've all heard aboutprocessed foods and they've
really come under attack hererecently, which I'm glad.
(07:07):
I'm actually very happy to hearthat we are starting to wake up
around our food industry.
But there's so much hiddensugar in the foods that we're
eating and if you are one ofthose people that you add a
little bit sugar to your coffeeand add a little sugar to your
(07:30):
oatmeal and then you're maybedrinking one of those
drive-through yummy coffees inthe afternoon, you may be
getting a lot more sugar thanyou realize that on top of salad
dressings, ketchup, barbecuesauce, I mean, there is sugar in
so much of what we typicallyconsume in a day.
(07:53):
The American Heart Associationthey recommend no more than 25
grams of sugar per day for women.
Now, if you look at a 12-ouncecan of Coke and you're probably
saying, well, I never drink Coke, but that in itself has 39
grams of sugar in it.
So put it in perspective ofwhat you typically consume in a
(08:17):
day and try to think about howyou can start doing zero added
sugar.
This does not include fruit.
Fruit is still absolutelynecessary for fiber and
micronutrients.
It is possible to turn off thosesugar cravings If you are
(08:38):
eating a balanced plate.
So when I say a balanced plate,I mean three meals a day where
you are getting adequate proteinand we'll talk about how much
protein that should be andyou're getting some fat and
you're getting some good wholefood carbohydrates and fiber,
you can start to diminish thosesugar cravings.
(09:01):
Because oftentimes what'shappening?
If you're starting to get sugarcravings, say, late in the
morning or in the afternoon, itmay be because you're not eating
three meals a day with abalanced plate.
If you're skipping breakfast,if you're having coffee or a
Diet Coke, for a snack.
These are all things that cantrigger sugar cravings.
(09:24):
There's a kind of a simple, Idon't know, I say like
philosophy that can help youmanage some of these slumpy
feelings that you get in theafternoon, the sugar cravings,
and we call it the 30-30-30.
And I don't want you to thinkthat it's always this simple,
but this is a great place tostart.
(09:45):
You want to get at least 30grams of protein at every meal.
That's only 90 grams of protein.
I would typically ask a clientto try to get at least one gram
per desired pound of body weight, but if you can at least get 90
(10:06):
to 100 grams of protein a day,that is a great start.
Protein produces satiety, itkeeps you from getting hungry
and it keeps you satiated muchlonger than other foods do.
The other 30 is 30 minutes ofexercise every day.
Now I think doing strengthtraining at least three times
(10:27):
per week is super important,particularly for women, our age,
because again it's back to themuscle piece.
We want to make sure that we'renot just maintaining but we're
building muscle, and that 30minutes of exercise could also
include walking and get intomore about walking a little bit
later.
And get into more about walkinga little bit later.
And then 30 grams of fiberevery day.
(10:51):
If you can get 25, I'll behappy, but if you can get 30,
that's even better.
The reason fiber is soimportant First of all, fiber
keeps you full.
So again back to the sugarcravings and, just in general,
just feeling more satisfied whenyou eat.
Fiber also is a prebiotic.
The prebiotic is what you needfor probiotics to do their job.
(11:14):
So if you're eating things likefruit and whole grains, those
are all really wonderful thingsto create a great microbiome in
your stomach.
And we all know now you'veheard this a million times that
there is this gut-brainconnection.
So if your gut is happy, yourbrain tends to be a little
happier too.
(11:34):
So think about that.
And gut health is superimportant to a health journey
and a weight loss journey.
So back to this mindset piece.
I want to kind of tie a bow onthis.
The faster you try to loseweight, the more your body will
resist.
I just want to make sure youheard me the faster you try to
(11:59):
lose weight, the more your bodywill resist.
If you go into any kind ofweight loss program and you are
expecting quick results, you maynot be successful.
I hate to tell you that.
So if you are wanting to drop30 pounds before the big wedding
(12:19):
in March, that's a tall order.
My fear is that we want to losethis weight quickly, but we
forget how long it took us toput that weight on.
Sustainable weight loss comesslow and steady.
You may not necessarily have aweight problem.
It may be more your mindset andyour lifestyle that is holding
(12:45):
you back from being successful.
I'm not trying to be harsh here, but I oftentimes feel like you
know, when we sign up for thesefitness programs and it's six
weeks or 12 weeks long, we kindof think that's like the end
point, when actually that's justthe beginning.
(13:06):
What I do is not a diet.
I do this as a lifestyle,because it's sustainable and it
produces great results for womenin midlife.
So if you want to come workwith me, I want you to have
realistic expectations that weare changing old habits that
(13:26):
sometimes take some time, and wealso are looking at long-term
benefits, not just for weightbut for our overall health and
well-being.
So let's start a weight lossjourney, a health journey, with
realistic expectations so we'renot setting ourselves up for
(13:50):
failure.
Now I know I keep saying weightloss, but truly the ultimate
goal is fat loss, and there is abig difference between the two.
When you lose a large amount ofweight, many times muscle is
also part of that.
So it's not all pure fat loss.
(14:11):
You are also losing some muscle.
Well, we don't want muscle loss, we just want fat loss.
And when clients are workingwith me, at least for those
first six weeks, I ask them notto weigh themselves.
We are working on improvingyour metabolism in those first
six weeks and we are liftingweights so you may gain a little
(14:36):
bit of muscle weight because ofthat.
And I don't want people to getdiscouraged because, remember,
this is a process.
This is a long-term process inorder to get healthy.
So after those six weeks, Ihave people start to weigh
themselves again and you may besurprised.
I had one client.
(14:56):
She only lost four pounds,which, honestly, four pounds in
six weeks is really pretty good,but she went down a whole pant
size.
So it's really hard to judge bywhat the scale says.
It's really about taking yourmeasurements and doing before
and after pictures, and that'spart of the process as well.
Talking about weight lossversus fat loss is a terrific
(15:20):
segue into talking about theGLP-1s.
I get a ton of questions aboutthe GLP-1 drugs and this class
is super interesting and very,very important to the medical
community and to patients.
So I want to first of all getthat out there.
I am not anti-GLP-1 at all.
(15:42):
For a little background, Iworked for the company in 2005
who launched the very firstGLP-1.
So they've been around for 20years.
I was a manager of a 10-personsales team for a little company
called Amylin Pharmaceuticals.
I actually met the scientistwho developed the first GLP-1.
(16:02):
And, interestingly, in hisresearch he found that the
saliva of the Gila monster,which is a big lizard, mimicked
very closely the molecule ofGLP-1 that is naturally
occurring in humans.
Gila monsters have veryefficient saliva.
They only eat once or twice ayear and their bodies are just
(16:26):
very good at using theirnutrients very slowly over a
period of time.
So it's great science Now.
Back in the day we did not haveGLP-1 pills because those early
molecules would havedisintegrated immediately once
they hit your stomach, soeverything had to be a shot.
(16:47):
Now I know, in 2019, I believe,the FDA-approved Rybelsus and
that is an oral GLP-1.
I think the side effects seemto be the same for oral versus
the injection.
I don't think the nausea is anyless, but the weight loss with
the oral medications don't seemto be as robust as with the
(17:11):
injection.
So just keep that in mind withthe injection.
So just keep that in mind.
And I know there are some newcombo drugs out there that take
GLP-1 in combo with GIP.
Now GIP stands for gastricinhibitory polypeptide, glp-1
stands for glucagon-like peptide1, all right, so both are
(17:34):
responsible for insulin releaseafter you eat to control your
postprandial blood sugar.
So they're also slowing gastricemptying.
So you're not dumping all ofyour glucose into your small
intestine at one time, so itjust slows things down a little
bit.
So that helps control some ofthe glucose levels as well.
(17:56):
By slowing down your gastricemptying they make you feel full
longer and they send a signalof satiety to the brain.
So there's multi things goingon here with these drugs.
What I find incrediblyencouraging is that the fact
that we have GLP-1 receptors allover our bodies and we are
(18:19):
studying these drugs now inAlzheimer's, fatty liver disease
, depression, psoriasis,parkinson's and even alcohol
abuse.
So time will tell, but it seemsthat this class could be very
promising in the future.
But I will say this for myclients who have either been on
(18:39):
a GLP-1 or are currently usingone.
I am always concerned withrapid weight loss.
That could also mean thatthey're losing muscle, because,
remember, when you lose muscle,it is really hard to get that
back.
We need our muscle again formetabolism.
So I have found that there havebeen a lot of healthcare
(19:02):
providers out there who have putpatients on GLP-1 with
absolutely no nutritionalcounseling or fitness counseling
on.
Hey, you have to eat a lot ofprotein and you have to eat
protein even if you're reallynot that hungry.
You have to lift weights, youhave to do weight-bearing
exercise.
We want to maintain your muscle, because what happens is when
(19:27):
you go off these drugs and yougain your weight back, you gain
back the fat, you don't gainback the muscle, and so then you
start at a deficit.
Now there are doctors out therethat are doing some microdosing,
so they may do a maintenancedose of a very small amount to
help you maintain, but I justdon't know if that is a
(19:49):
long-term strategy, particularlyif you're having nausea or
other side effects.
So here's my thing.
True health will never comefrom a pill or an injection.
It requires effort, eating realfood and moving your body and
also prioritizing sleep.
It's about lifestyle change.
(20:09):
There are no shortcuts, but ifyou are morbidly obese you have
metabolic disease then I believethese drugs are incredibly
valuable.
So I am always open to workingwith clients who are on them,
because I really want to helpthem not only lose body fat but
(20:31):
maintain their muscle and havesustained results.
We talked about protein and theimportance of fiber, but I also
want to discuss carbohydratesand the importance of fat.
Cutting out any one food groupis not ideal for long-term
results, and let me explain.
I had a client who was tryingto figure out if she wanted to
(20:52):
work with me with the FasterWeight program and she said,
well, I think I might try ketoagain.
And I said, okay, so if theketo was so successful the first
time, why do you need to do itagain?
And she paused and I wasn'tsaying that to be snarky, but I
think the point is that whenyou're cutting out a food group,
(21:15):
can you sustain that for a longperiod of time, even though you
might get quick results?
Back to that whole notion of isthat really what you're going
after?
Are you going after quickresults or are you going after
long-term results.
We need to have carbohydrate.
You need carbohydrates forenergy and you also need fats.
(21:36):
You need good, healthy fats,and this is something that we
incorporate in the Faster Wayprogram.
We do carb cycling, so theremay be one day when you get to
eat a high amount of good,healthy fats, but your
carbohydrate requirement isgoing to be much lower.
Then you may have other dayswhen you're going to be able to
eat a lot of carbs but a lotless fat.
(21:58):
Back to the adaptability of ourbodies.
Our bodies can figure thingsout, so if you're eating the
same thing day in, day out, yourbody can get adjusted to that.
So with FasterWay, we change itup by the day, and so we keep
the body guessing a little bit.
I think it's fascinating.
(22:18):
Plus, we do intermittentfasting as well.
So I think there's a lot therethat really works.
There's some great sciencethere, and that's why this
program is so effective forwomen in midlife.
Now I will put together a custommacronutrition plan for every
one of my clients.
So when we look atmacronutrients, those are your
(22:41):
fat, your carbohydrates and yourprotein, and we throw fiber in
there as well.
So you're going to get your owncustom goal based on your goals
and your current fitness level,and I'll tweak that at the
beginning to make sure that itmeets you where you are in your
current lifestyle.
(23:02):
Because what if you're ateacher and it's hard for you to
make food in the morning?
We take all those things intoconsideration when we put
together a plan.
And then one of the other bigquestions I get is if I don't
currently have a fitnesspractice, will I be able to do
the workouts?
And my answer is yes.
(23:24):
Our workouts are intended forany fitness level.
If you've had, you know, say, ashoulder injury or a knee issue
, we can work around thosethings.
And I start people very slowand typically the first thing I
(23:44):
really want to do is dial in onyour nutrition and get that set,
and then we'll worry aboutdoing the workouts.
If for anything, I'll get youout walking, particularly after
you eat.
So when I tell people, hey, Iwant you to walk for 30 minutes
(24:05):
a day, that doesn't mean youhave to walk all 30 minutes at
one time.
It's almost preferable that youget out and walk right after
you eat.
This helps with glucose uptake.
It helps keep your blood sugarsstable.
It's really fascinating thepower of walking after a meal.
I was reading an article theother day that was discussing
(24:26):
fitness trends for midlife in2025.
And the first thing on the listwas next level hydration.
We all know we need to drinkmore water, but adding
electrolytes to your water isvery important, and I'll tell
you why.
When you drink water a lot oftimes, it will just pass through
(24:47):
you, but when you add potassiumand sodium to your water, it
opens up the cell so that yourbody can more efficiently
utilize the hydration.
I recommend to my clients toget half their body weight in
ounces every day.
So if you weigh 150 pounds, youshould drink about 75 ounces of
(25:08):
water.
The other thing I would ask isthat your first drink of the day
be 12 to 16 ounces of waterwith at least a pinch of sea
salt in there.
If you think about it, youhaven't probably had anything to
drink for at least eight hours.
Your body is just craving waterat that point, and it also can
(25:30):
help with hunger.
So if you tend to be a littlehungry in the morning, just
drink some water with somehydration like electrolytes or a
pinch of sea salt, and that canbe super helpful.
The second thing on the list wasprotein from whole food sources
, and that would include animalprotein.
I don't need to go into thewhole protein thing again.
I think I've made that prettyclear.
(25:52):
Mindful mood support was numberthree on the list, and that can
include meditation, yoga, alsogetting good sleep.
We want to minimize cortisoloverload.
Now we need some cortisol.
Cortisol is your flight orfight hormone, but too much
cortisol can add to some of thatfat deposition that we get
(26:15):
around our midsection.
They mentioned gut health asyour second brain, so taking
care of your gut is also helpingyour second brain.
Longevity diets were big on thelist savvy snacking, so that
means not eating the chips andthe empty calorie type foods or
(26:38):
having a coffee in the afternoon.
It was really about eating highprotein, nutritious snacks that
are very satisfying, that keepus from eating the candy and the
sugary sweet stuff.
They talked about functionalfoods as well, which kind of
tied into some of the longevitydiet issues or items, I should
(27:00):
say and also exercise programsfor older adults.
So, as you can see, there's aton of parallels between what
I've discussed with you todayand this article that I read, so
I thought it was superinteresting and I wanted to
share that with you.
I started the podcast before Ibegan this current health
(27:21):
journey.
I will say that interviewingall of these health experts
really got me motivated.
I'd always been someone whoworked out.
I ate a pretty clean diet, butall that cardio I was doing and
the calorie restriction were notproducing results.
(27:42):
I'd had a hysterectomy, I wasgaining belly fat, I was tired
all the time, was not sleepingwell, my joints ached, I was
probably very inflamed and youknow what?
Having that coaching createdaccountability that I hadn't had
before.
It was a game changer.
(28:02):
I'd love to learn more about you, your pain points and your
goals.
If you are just merely kickingthe tires, that's okay.
If you want to learn more aboutgetting some coaching or
working with me, please reachout.
We can chat.
There is no pressure.
This is a perfect time of yearto reassess your health and your
(28:26):
lifestyle.
Think about what you want toachieve here in the next 6 to 12
months, but, more importantly,think about what you want your
life to look like and yourhealth to look like in the next
10, 20, 30 years.
You are in the driver's seat ofyour health.
(28:48):
I'm here to support you in anyway that I can.
Let's connect and let's get theball rolling.
I have a new group coachinground starting January 6th.
If you're not quite ready, wecan talk about that, because
I've got other group coachingrounds coming.
(29:08):
I think I have three in January, so there's one in there for
you.
Thank you for listening.
I'm really glad you're here.
Hey, thanks for tuning in.
Please rate and review the showwhere you listen to the podcast
.
And did you know that Askingfor a Friend is available now to
listen on YouTube.
(29:29):
You can subscribe to thepodcast there as well.
Your support is appreciated andit helps others find the show.
Thank you.
Health, wellness, fitness and everything in
between.
We're removing the taboo fromwhat really matters in midlife.
I'm your host, Michele Folan,and this is Asking for a Friend.
Welcome to the very first showof 2025.
(00:25):
I am so excited that you'rehere.
Everyone had a wonderful holidayand kind of finally getting
back in the swing of things.
I know I took some time offaround Christmas time to spend
time with family and entertainand it was wonderful and
(00:47):
entertain and it was wonderful,but it was exhausting and almost
getting back to work and myroutine actually helped me catch
up on some sleep and so I'mfeeling energized and really
ready to hit the ground runningin the new year.
I decided for this first showof 2025 to make this a solo show
.
I haven't done one of these ina very long time and I really
(01:09):
feel like now that I have beendoing this podcast for almost
three years and also having beena coach most of 2024, I've got
a lot to share and a lot of itis based on many of the
questions I get from clients andalso listeners to the show, and
(01:32):
these are really centeredaround midlife health and
wellness, and I know we talkabout that quite a bit on the
podcast, but these are veryspecific to this time in our
lives and our changing bodiesand how we may need to address
things a little differently toget results.
I want to say first of all, ifyou are struggling with your
(01:55):
weight and your changing body,you are not broken and you are
certainly not alone.
So don't think for one minutethat the situation that you're
in right now is not reversible,because it is, and we're going
to talk a lot about that.
I do blame diet culture for alot of the mindset and some of
(02:20):
the approaches that we havetaken that haven't worked for us
.
They've failed us.
But you know, there's also thedecline in hormones and with
that we start to lose muscle.
And when we lose muscle, theregoes our metabolism.
Muscle drives your metabolism.
And so back to that mindsetcomment that I just made, we
(02:44):
have to make a shift and we haveto start thinking in terms of
prioritizing being strong ratherthan being thin, because we
need to have that muscle.
Well, first of all, why do weneed muscle?
So it's not just for metabolism, right?
(03:05):
So it's good for balance, helpsour core strength so we can get
up out of a seated position, ithelps with bone health and
because I don't want to be thatwoman that falls on the floor
and is so frail that I can't getup.
If you can't get up from aseated position, out of a chair
without pushing off with yourhands, then it's time to hit the
(03:28):
weights and working on yourcore.
And I did a video I think itwas December 6th of 2024, and it
showed how to get up off thefloor without using your hands.
Now, if you can get up off thefloor just using one hand,
that's terrific, but theultimate goal would be to be
(03:50):
able to get up off the floorwithout using either of your
hands.
And the reason and I state thisin the video is when we fall,
we oftentimes break our fallwith our hands, which can result
in broken bones, fractures ofthe wrists.
The wrist is typically thefirst bone that women fracture.
(04:14):
So if you're lying on the floorand you have broken one wrist
or God forbid two then you needto be able to get yourself up so
you can get help.
So I'm just throwing that outthere, but check it out on
Instagram.
So I want to address this issueof our bodies holding on to fat
(04:35):
at this point in our lives.
So we talked about muscle andthe importance of having enough
muscle to drive our metabolism.
Having enough muscle to driveour metabolism.
If you are in a calorie deficitand still not losing weight,
then your body is holding ontofat.
If you are doing a ton ofcardio and still not seeing body
(04:57):
changes, then your body isholding onto fat.
And if you haven't changedanything in your lifestyle and
you're still gaining weight,then your body is probably
holding onto fat.
Here's the thing.
Just eating less is not goingto get you the body that you
(05:18):
want, and just doing a bunch ofcardio is not going to produce
results.
You may have heard me say alongthe line somewhere that our
bodies are still programmed fromwhen we lived in caves, when
there was famine, scarcity offood.
Our bodies are very good athanging onto fat so that we can
(05:42):
survive.
If you are doing one of these1200 or less calorie a day diets
, you probably aren't going toget the results that you desire.
You might get some temporaryweight loss at the beginning,
but then your body is going toget smart and shut down your
metabolism.
(06:03):
And, if you really think aboutit, 1,200 calories a day is the
caloric intake that a very younggirl is supposed to get, not a
grown woman.
If you work with me, you'regoing to be eating a lot more
than 1,200 calories a day, andit can seem uncomfortable at
first for some people who arenot used to eating that much,
(06:24):
but the point of that is to getyour metabolism going again.
This helps fuel you, itprovides you energy and gives
you that boost that you need toget through workouts and a long
walk and not to fall asleep inthe middle of the afternoon.
So there is a method to themadness in eating more to lose
(06:46):
weight.
All right.
The other thing is we've got tostart maybe reading labels a
little more closely, and I'llexplain this.
So we've all heard aboutprocessed foods and they've
really come under attack hererecently, which I'm glad.
(07:07):
I'm actually very happy to hearthat we are starting to wake up
around our food industry.
But there's so much hiddensugar in the foods that we're
eating and if you are one ofthose people that you add a
little bit sugar to your coffeeand add a little sugar to your
(07:30):
oatmeal and then you're maybedrinking one of those
drive-through yummy coffees inthe afternoon, you may be
getting a lot more sugar thanyou realize that on top of salad
dressings, ketchup, barbecuesauce, I mean, there is sugar in
so much of what we typicallyconsume in a day.
(07:53):
The American Heart Associationthey recommend no more than 25
grams of sugar per day for women.
Now, if you look at a 12-ouncecan of Coke and you're probably
saying, well, I never drink Coke, but that in itself has 39
grams of sugar in it.
So put it in perspective ofwhat you typically consume in a
(08:17):
day and try to think about howyou can start doing zero added
sugar.
This does not include fruit.
Fruit is still absolutelynecessary for fiber and
micronutrients.
It is possible to turn off thosesugar cravings If you are
(08:38):
eating a balanced plate.
So when I say a balanced plate,I mean three meals a day where
you are getting adequate proteinand we'll talk about how much
protein that should be andyou're getting some fat and
you're getting some good wholefood carbohydrates and fiber,
you can start to diminish thosesugar cravings.
(09:01):
Because oftentimes what'shappening?
If you're starting to get sugarcravings, say, late in the
morning or in the afternoon, itmay be because you're not eating
three meals a day with abalanced plate.
If you're skipping breakfast,if you're having coffee or a
Diet Coke, for a snack.
These are all things that cantrigger sugar cravings.
(09:24):
There's a kind of a simple, Idon't know, I say like
philosophy that can help youmanage some of these slumpy
feelings that you get in theafternoon, the sugar cravings,
and we call it the 30-30-30.
And I don't want you to thinkthat it's always this simple,
but this is a great place tostart.
(09:45):
You want to get at least 30grams of protein at every meal.
That's only 90 grams of protein.
I would typically ask a clientto try to get at least one gram
per desired pound of body weight, but if you can at least get 90
(10:06):
to 100 grams of protein a day,that is a great start.
Protein produces satiety, itkeeps you from getting hungry
and it keeps you satiated muchlonger than other foods do.
The other 30 is 30 minutes ofexercise every day.
Now I think doing strengthtraining at least three times
(10:27):
per week is super important,particularly for women, our age,
because again it's back to themuscle piece.
We want to make sure that we'renot just maintaining but we're
building muscle, and that 30minutes of exercise could also
include walking and get intomore about walking a little bit
later.
And get into more about walkinga little bit later.
And then 30 grams of fiberevery day.
(10:51):
If you can get 25, I'll behappy, but if you can get 30,
that's even better.
The reason fiber is soimportant First of all, fiber
keeps you full.
So again back to the sugarcravings and, just in general,
just feeling more satisfied whenyou eat.
Fiber also is a prebiotic.
The prebiotic is what you needfor probiotics to do their job.
(11:14):
So if you're eating things likefruit and whole grains, those
are all really wonderful thingsto create a great microbiome in
your stomach.
And we all know now you'veheard this a million times that
there is this gut-brainconnection.
So if your gut is happy, yourbrain tends to be a little
happier too.
(11:34):
So think about that.
And gut health is superimportant to a health journey
and a weight loss journey.
So back to this mindset piece.
I want to kind of tie a bow onthis.
The faster you try to loseweight, the more your body will
resist.
I just want to make sure youheard me the faster you try to
(11:59):
lose weight, the more your bodywill resist.
If you go into any kind ofweight loss program and you are
expecting quick results, you maynot be successful.
I hate to tell you that.
So if you are wanting to drop30 pounds before the big wedding
(12:19):
in March, that's a tall order.
My fear is that we want to losethis weight quickly, but we
forget how long it took us toput that weight on.
Sustainable weight loss comesslow and steady.
You may not necessarily have aweight problem.
It may be more your mindset andyour lifestyle that is holding
(12:45):
you back from being successful.
I'm not trying to be harsh here, but I oftentimes feel like you
know, when we sign up for thesefitness programs and it's six
weeks or 12 weeks long, we kindof think that's like the end
point, when actually that's justthe beginning.
(13:06):
What I do is not a diet.
I do this as a lifestyle,because it's sustainable and it
produces great results for womenin midlife.
So if you want to come workwith me, I want you to have
realistic expectations that weare changing old habits that
(13:26):
sometimes take some time, and wealso are looking at long-term
benefits, not just for weightbut for our overall health and
well-being.
So let's start a weight lossjourney, a health journey, with
realistic expectations so we'renot setting ourselves up for
(13:50):
failure.
Now I know I keep saying weightloss, but truly the ultimate
goal is fat loss, and there is abig difference between the two.
When you lose a large amount ofweight, many times muscle is
also part of that.
So it's not all pure fat loss.
(14:11):
You are also losing some muscle.
Well, we don't want muscle loss, we just want fat loss.
And when clients are workingwith me, at least for those
first six weeks, I ask them notto weigh themselves.
We are working on improvingyour metabolism in those first
six weeks and we are liftingweights so you may gain a little
(14:36):
bit of muscle weight because ofthat.
And I don't want people to getdiscouraged because, remember,
this is a process.
This is a long-term process inorder to get healthy.
So after those six weeks, Ihave people start to weigh
themselves again and you may besurprised.
I had one client.
(14:56):
She only lost four pounds,which, honestly, four pounds in
six weeks is really pretty good,but she went down a whole pant
size.
So it's really hard to judge bywhat the scale says.
It's really about taking yourmeasurements and doing before
and after pictures, and that'spart of the process as well.
Talking about weight lossversus fat loss is a terrific
(15:20):
segue into talking about theGLP-1s.
I get a ton of questions aboutthe GLP-1 drugs and this class
is super interesting and very,very important to the medical
community and to patients.
So I want to first of all getthat out there.
I am not anti-GLP-1 at all.
(15:42):
For a little background, Iworked for the company in 2005
who launched the very firstGLP-1.
So they've been around for 20years.
I was a manager of a 10-personsales team for a little company
called Amylin Pharmaceuticals.
I actually met the scientistwho developed the first GLP-1.
(16:02):
And, interestingly, in hisresearch he found that the
saliva of the Gila monster,which is a big lizard, mimicked
very closely the molecule ofGLP-1 that is naturally
occurring in humans.
Gila monsters have veryefficient saliva.
They only eat once or twice ayear and their bodies are just
(16:26):
very good at using theirnutrients very slowly over a
period of time.
So it's great science Now.
Back in the day we did not haveGLP-1 pills because those early
molecules would havedisintegrated immediately once
they hit your stomach, soeverything had to be a shot.
(16:47):
Now I know, in 2019, I believe,the FDA-approved Rybelsus and
that is an oral GLP-1.
I think the side effects seemto be the same for oral versus
the injection.
I don't think the nausea is anyless, but the weight loss with
the oral medications don't seemto be as robust as with the
(17:11):
injection.
So just keep that in mind withthe injection.
So just keep that in mind.
And I know there are some newcombo drugs out there that take
GLP-1 in combo with GIP.
Now GIP stands for gastricinhibitory polypeptide, glp-1
stands for glucagon-like peptide1, all right, so both are
(17:34):
responsible for insulin releaseafter you eat to control your
postprandial blood sugar.
So they're also slowing gastricemptying.
So you're not dumping all ofyour glucose into your small
intestine at one time, so itjust slows things down a little
bit.
So that helps control some ofthe glucose levels as well.
(17:56):
By slowing down your gastricemptying they make you feel full
longer and they send a signalof satiety to the brain.
So there's multi things goingon here with these drugs.
What I find incrediblyencouraging is that the fact
that we have GLP-1 receptors allover our bodies and we are
(18:19):
studying these drugs now inAlzheimer's, fatty liver disease
, depression, psoriasis,parkinson's and even alcohol
abuse.
So time will tell, but it seemsthat this class could be very
promising in the future.
But I will say this for myclients who have either been on
(18:39):
a GLP-1 or are currently usingone.
I am always concerned withrapid weight loss.
That could also mean thatthey're losing muscle, because,
remember, when you lose muscle,it is really hard to get that
back.
We need our muscle again formetabolism.
So I have found that there havebeen a lot of healthcare
(19:02):
providers out there who have putpatients on GLP-1 with
absolutely no nutritionalcounseling or fitness counseling
on.
Hey, you have to eat a lot ofprotein and you have to eat
protein even if you're reallynot that hungry.
You have to lift weights, youhave to do weight-bearing
exercise.
We want to maintain your muscle, because what happens is when
(19:27):
you go off these drugs and yougain your weight back, you gain
back the fat, you don't gainback the muscle, and so then you
start at a deficit.
Now there are doctors out therethat are doing some microdosing,
so they may do a maintenancedose of a very small amount to
help you maintain, but I justdon't know if that is a
(19:49):
long-term strategy, particularlyif you're having nausea or
other side effects.
So here's my thing.
True health will never comefrom a pill or an injection.
It requires effort, eating realfood and moving your body and
also prioritizing sleep.
It's about lifestyle change.
(20:09):
There are no shortcuts, but ifyou are morbidly obese you have
metabolic disease then I believethese drugs are incredibly
valuable.
So I am always open to workingwith clients who are on them,
because I really want to helpthem not only lose body fat but
(20:31):
maintain their muscle and havesustained results.
We talked about protein and theimportance of fiber, but I also
want to discuss carbohydratesand the importance of fat.
Cutting out any one food groupis not ideal for long-term
results, and let me explain.
I had a client who was tryingto figure out if she wanted to
(20:52):
work with me with the FasterWeight program and she said,
well, I think I might try ketoagain.
And I said, okay, so if theketo was so successful the first
time, why do you need to do itagain?
And she paused and I wasn'tsaying that to be snarky, but I
think the point is that whenyou're cutting out a food group,
(21:15):
can you sustain that for a longperiod of time, even though you
might get quick results?
Back to that whole notion of isthat really what you're going
after?
Are you going after quickresults or are you going after
long-term results.
We need to have carbohydrate.
You need carbohydrates forenergy and you also need fats.
(21:36):
You need good, healthy fats,and this is something that we
incorporate in the Faster Wayprogram.
We do carb cycling, so theremay be one day when you get to
eat a high amount of good,healthy fats, but your
carbohydrate requirement isgoing to be much lower.
Then you may have other dayswhen you're going to be able to
eat a lot of carbs but a lotless fat.
(21:58):
Back to the adaptability of ourbodies.
Our bodies can figure thingsout, so if you're eating the
same thing day in, day out, yourbody can get adjusted to that.
So with FasterWay, we change itup by the day, and so we keep
the body guessing a little bit.
I think it's fascinating.
(22:18):
Plus, we do intermittentfasting as well.
So I think there's a lot therethat really works.
There's some great sciencethere, and that's why this
program is so effective forwomen in midlife.
Now I will put together a custommacronutrition plan for every
one of my clients.
So when we look atmacronutrients, those are your
(22:41):
fat, your carbohydrates and yourprotein, and we throw fiber in
there as well.
So you're going to get your owncustom goal based on your goals
and your current fitness level,and I'll tweak that at the
beginning to make sure that itmeets you where you are in your
current lifestyle.
(23:02):
Because what if you're ateacher and it's hard for you to
make food in the morning?
We take all those things intoconsideration when we put
together a plan.
And then one of the other bigquestions I get is if I don't
currently have a fitnesspractice, will I be able to do
the workouts?
And my answer is yes.
(23:24):
Our workouts are intended forany fitness level.
If you've had, you know, say, ashoulder injury or a knee issue
, we can work around thosethings.
And I start people very slowand typically the first thing I
(23:44):
really want to do is dial in onyour nutrition and get that set,
and then we'll worry aboutdoing the workouts.
If for anything, I'll get youout walking, particularly after
you eat.
So when I tell people, hey, Iwant you to walk for 30 minutes
(24:05):
a day, that doesn't mean youhave to walk all 30 minutes at
one time.
It's almost preferable that youget out and walk right after
you eat.
This helps with glucose uptake.
It helps keep your blood sugarsstable.
It's really fascinating thepower of walking after a meal.
I was reading an article theother day that was discussing
(24:26):
fitness trends for midlife in2025.
And the first thing on the listwas next level hydration.
We all know we need to drinkmore water, but adding
electrolytes to your water isvery important, and I'll tell
you why.
When you drink water a lot oftimes, it will just pass through
(24:47):
you, but when you add potassiumand sodium to your water, it
opens up the cell so that yourbody can more efficiently
utilize the hydration.
I recommend to my clients toget half their body weight in
ounces every day.
So if you weigh 150 pounds, youshould drink about 75 ounces of
(25:08):
water.
The other thing I would ask isthat your first drink of the day
be 12 to 16 ounces of waterwith at least a pinch of sea
salt in there.
If you think about it, youhaven't probably had anything to
drink for at least eight hours.
Your body is just craving waterat that point, and it also can
(25:30):
help with hunger.
So if you tend to be a littlehungry in the morning, just
drink some water with somehydration like electrolytes or a
pinch of sea salt, and that canbe super helpful.
The second thing on the list wasprotein from whole food sources
, and that would include animalprotein.
I don't need to go into thewhole protein thing again.
I think I've made that prettyclear.
(25:52):
Mindful mood support was numberthree on the list, and that can
include meditation, yoga, alsogetting good sleep.
We want to minimize cortisoloverload.
Now we need some cortisol.
Cortisol is your flight orfight hormone, but too much
cortisol can add to some of thatfat deposition that we get
(26:15):
around our midsection.
They mentioned gut health asyour second brain, so taking
care of your gut is also helpingyour second brain.
Longevity diets were big on thelist savvy snacking, so that
means not eating the chips andthe empty calorie type foods or
(26:38):
having a coffee in the afternoon.
It was really about eating highprotein, nutritious snacks that
are very satisfying, that keepus from eating the candy and the
sugary sweet stuff.
They talked about functionalfoods as well, which kind of
tied into some of the longevitydiet issues or items, I should
(27:00):
say and also exercise programsfor older adults.
So, as you can see, there's aton of parallels between what
I've discussed with you todayand this article that I read, so
I thought it was superinteresting and I wanted to
share that with you.
I started the podcast before Ibegan this current health
(27:21):
journey.
I will say that interviewingall of these health experts
really got me motivated.
I'd always been someone whoworked out.
I ate a pretty clean diet, butall that cardio I was doing and
the calorie restriction were notproducing results.
(27:42):
I'd had a hysterectomy, I wasgaining belly fat, I was tired
all the time, was not sleepingwell, my joints ached, I was
probably very inflamed and youknow what?
Having that coaching createdaccountability that I hadn't had
before.
It was a game changer.
(28:02):
I'd love to learn more about you, your pain points and your
goals.
If you are just merely kickingthe tires, that's okay.
If you want to learn more aboutgetting some coaching or
working with me, please reachout.
We can chat.
There is no pressure.
This is a perfect time of yearto reassess your health and your
(28:26):
lifestyle.
Think about what you want toachieve here in the next 6 to 12
months, but, more importantly,think about what you want your
life to look like and yourhealth to look like in the next
10, 20, 30 years.
You are in the driver's seat ofyour health.
(28:48):
I'm here to support you in anyway that I can.
Let's connect and let's get theball rolling.
I have a new group coachinground starting January 6th.
If you're not quite ready, wecan talk about that, because
I've got other group coachingrounds coming.
(29:08):
I think I have three in January, so there's one in there for
you.
Thank you for listening.
I'm really glad you're here.
Hey, thanks for tuning in.
Please rate and review the showwhere you listen to the podcast
.
And did you know that Askingfor a Friend is available now to
listen on YouTube.
(29:29):
You can subscribe to thepodcast there as well.
Your support is appreciated andit helps others find the show.
Thank you.
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