January 28, 2025 • 39 mins
Welcome to the Essence of Health Tea Time podcast!
Today we are “reheating” The Tea About Cycling For Healthful Aging with a fresh listen to reignite your motivation to get started on achieving your health goals this year!
Are you a former athlete who has found it challenging to “get back in the game” and enjoy your previous level of activity?
Have you never considered yourself to be an athlete but would like to move more in an effort to achieve your health goals?
On today’s episode Dr. Shayla Toombs-Withers will be spilling the tea with guest, cycling coach, Marissa Axell. As Founder and Cycling Coach at AXN Fitness and Coaching, Marissa has used her personal and professional accomplishments combined to aid peri/post menopausal athletes in thriving through new adventures in cycling and fitness as they age.
Synopsis:
- Learn new ways to level up in your fitness safely as you age.
- Understand how our bodies physically change as we age and how that can impact your fitness.
- Discover the importance of what you eat, and how and when you incorporate rest into your fitness routine.
- Explore options for developing your own inner athlete through cycling whether indoors or outdoors.
- Get the tea on a few important tips to stay healthy, strong and fit as you age.
Connect with Essence of Health:
– FREE Nourish & Flourish 5 Day Challenge: www.DrShayla.com/NFchallenge
–FREE Class “Ditch The Diet: Mindful Strategies for Lasting Metabolic Health”: www.DrShayla.com/DTD
–Learn more about Essence of Health Wellness Clinic & Coaching at www.DrShayla.com/EOH
–Follow Dr. Shayla on social media at Essence of Health Wellness Clinic on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube and at DrShayla on TikTok.
—-----------------------------------------------------------------
Connect with Marissa Axell:
FREE Cycling Training Plan: https://marissaaxell370.lpages.co/jumpstart/
Website: https://www.axnfitnessandcoaching.com/our-mission
Cycling Training Program: https://www.axnfitnessandcoaching.com/css
Facebook: https://www.faceb
The Essence of Health is in You!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Welcome to the Essence of Health Tea Time Podcast.
(00:12):
I am your host, Dr. Shayla Toons-Whithers.
As a double board certified family and obesity medicine physician with over 12 years of experience
in medicine, I teach motivated individuals how to achieve their desired quality of life
while preventing and reversing chronic diseases.
(00:33):
It's tea time!
What part of your health journey is most challenging?
Is it the actual effort of sticking to a plan?
The cooking and the meal planning?
The exercise routine?
Not enough time for everything you think you need to do?
Or the confusion of it all?
(00:54):
If you said yes to any of these obstacles, then keep listening to learn how you can smash
these problems just by checking your email.
You check your email inbox every day already, but what if checking your inbox brought you
better health instead of the stress it sometimes can bring?
Well, I have news for you.
(01:15):
You can improve your health, get a jump start on improving your health conditions, and start
to feel like a better version of you just by checking your email inbox over the next
5 days when you join the free Nourish and Flourish 5 Day Challenge.
You'll get health tips, actionable videos, a goal and habit tracker, and healthy recipes
(01:38):
every day for 5 days.
Better health is the best investment you'll ever make, and this is only a small investment
of your time.
You have nothing to lose, but everything to gain.
The Nourish and Flourish 5 Day Challenge was designed to set the foundation for healthy
habits for life.
(01:58):
Say yes to yourself today and sign up now at drshayla.com forward slash nfchallenge.
I'll also place these details in the show notes.
The essence of health is in you.
See you in your inbox.
On today's episode of the Essence of Health Tea Time podcast, I have a special guest,
Marissa Axel.
(02:20):
Marissa Axel is the founder and CEO of AXN Fitness and Coaching, helping her peri-post
mental causal athletes become badass cyclists by showing them how to become stronger, ride
further, faster, and reclaim their mojo all while training less.
Marissa has been coaching and personal training with athletes since 2008.
(02:44):
She's a category one cyclist and holds an undergraduate degree in biological sciences
from William Mett University.
She holds certifications for nutrition, coaching, personal training, and retool bike fit.
Since reading Roar by Dr. Stacey Sams over 6 years ago, Marissa is on a mission to make
(03:04):
sure women over 40 learn the new rules for training and achieving cycling goals.
Welcome to the podcast, Marissa.
I am so excited to have this discussion with you today.
Thank you so much for having me.
I am thrilled to be here.
Yeah, yeah, for sure.
So we're just going to dive right in and I'm going to have you just share with us a bit
(03:24):
of your story.
What inspired you to found AXN Fitness and Coaching?
Yeah, so I, the brief version, in 2016, I started, previous to that I was a cycling
coach as well, but also doing in-person cycling classes, working for other people.
(03:44):
And in 2016, myself and a friend became business partners and opened a indoor cycling and strength
training gym in San Francisco.
And all of the things that go along with that.
So I was your 6 a.m. instructor.
I was the person writing the emails and you can see where this is going, right?
I got burnt out.
(04:07):
So around 2019, I realized that something had to change.
I didn't realize I was burnt out, but something had to change.
I had the hard conversations.
I made the change and I left that business partnership and relaunched my business, AXN
Fitness.
I pronounce it like action fitness, because that's the most important thing is to take
(04:30):
action when you want to get towards those next goals.
So whether it's a hard conversation or starting a new coaching program.
So that was the goal was I wanted to be my own CEO.
I wanted to found my own business and go 100% behind it instead of kind of half-assing it
while also doing other things.
(04:50):
And that kind of is my personality.
Like once I have a goal, I put two feet in and I do everything to get there because I
want to be on the start line, whether it's a bike race or a business conference.
I want to be on that start line knowing that I did everything in my power to make myself
have the best, whatever it is, a race conference event meeting.
(05:11):
And that was it.
That's how it was born.
That's awesome.
I love that too about you, Marissa, that you're a go-getter.
You know, when we first met, we were able to just like chat forever.
Yeah, yeah.
So many commonalities.
So yeah, I love that.
And now with the, you know, the women that you coach, you coach women through one of
(05:34):
those challenging life changes.
And so with those women over 40, when it comes to really leveling up in fitness, what are
some of the common concerns that you find that those women have?
Yeah.
So it all started with me, which I guess goes back to your first question was I was struggling
and I didn't know why.
And like certain things would happen and I just, I couldn't figure it out.
(05:57):
So I went back to, I'd read Roar in 2016.
So before my forties, then I literally hit 40 and was like, I am struggling to get out
of bed.
Whereas I was always the go-getter, the super energetic one.
I was struggling to even stay awake during the day.
I really thought I was sick.
Like there was a lot going on.
And it turned out I didn't know anything that perimenopause was a thing.
(06:21):
And so of course, through lots of research, because of my background being in science,
like I want to read all of the information.
And so I started with Dr. Sims and Roar.
I've read a ton of other things by other women as well, but there's a movement y'all about
talking about moving from like, first of all, naming perimenopause and letting women over
35 really know that it's going to happen soon.
(06:43):
And then there's all these symptoms.
What are you going to do about it?
So it was born out of my selfish, I want to keep going and doing this.
And then I realized nobody knew about it.
So that's where these most common concerns come from, right?
Fatigue, that's a huge one.
They just notice, we notice that we wake up and we're not really awake and what the hell
is going on?
(07:03):
The other big two that I see day in and day out is the misconception of, well, first of
all, we know just kind of tangentially that like body changes are going to happen, right?
So that means I need to get on a diet and exercise harder.
And that is the biggest myth I'm trying to be out here in these streets busting is when
(07:24):
you put your, yeah, right?
Like when you restrict your calories and exercise harder, it's going to backfire.
So and that like extends out to the latest fad diets that are out there and the latest
kind of witchcraft that they're selling on TikTok or Instagram, right?
Like cleanses aren't going to do it.
Like it's so it's really important to me that we know that there's new rules that really
(07:47):
affect how we can cycle or fitness train or whatever your training is.
It doesn't have to be just be cycling, but there's new rules that apply to you.
And then all you have to do is learn them and start implementing them.
But that's the hardest part, right?
The second one is I find this again, I'm out here in these streets railing against it.
And it is that rest is lazy.
(08:08):
I'm losing fitness and that cannot be farther from the truth, right?
So as a fitness instructor, as a personal trainer, as a cycling coach or a swimming
coach or triathlon coach of what I used to do, we all know that rest is where you actually
physically regenerate and get stronger and faster.
And so this common conception of I can't sit around and rest today.
(08:30):
I have stuff to do.
I kind of rail against honestly, like the capitalist patriarchy of saying like a busy
bee is a good bee.
You know, like you are inherently good if you rest.
OK, you don't have to just be on and on and on.
But I think that it comes to the larger like cultural discussion around women in our culture
(08:50):
is like we're the caretakers, right?
We run the household.
We do the emotional labor and we want to be successful in your athletic field.
And I'm here to say like you need to put yourself first and rest because that's where you actually
get stronger and faster.
So those two or I guess three big like misconceptions around fitness are, you know, what I'm here
(09:13):
to like spread, spread the word and just say like I want I want us to know these new rules.
Yeah, right.
For sure.
Yeah.
You know, food is fuel.
That's one of the, you know, the common things that I say have been they've been listening
to this podcast and that, you know, that's exactly what you're saying.
Food does fuel us.
And so we can't do this overly restrictive thing or that is going to feed into some of
(09:35):
that fatigue and that stress to then rest.
One of the common things I like analogies I like to make is is even to babies, you know,
babies sleep so much because they're in that development phase.
And that's what happens when we rest.
We're developing, we're growing.
Our brain cells are even growing and getting stronger.
Even as adults and as we age, we still need that rest because our body, our bodies do
(10:00):
need that for continued health and development.
So that's so true.
Yeah, 100%.
And it turns out I have a lot of, I don't know, anecdotes and testimonials, but when
women rest, they actually get like exponentially faster on their bike because they've never
experienced resting before.
And they've always been tired when they're going to their events.
(10:21):
So it's, it's, it makes my job easy.
It makes me look kind of good because I've, I've kind of put them on a schedule and their
body is expecting rest and then they actually perform well.
I just, it makes me so happy.
Yeah, I can believe that.
And you know, the funny thing about being in the triathlon world, how early these races
start, right?
You know, then you're constantly training yourself because you know, the races, you
(10:44):
got to be there like four or five AM to get your stuff set up.
It starts at six 30 most of the time, you know, through the summer months.
It does make it sometimes hard for you to get that rest, but it's important.
What you're saying is to prioritize that and to fit that into your, your training plan
actively.
Yeah.
And not only that, but talk about your fueling at four AM, right?
(11:06):
Like what are you eating?
That's a whole different, I have to bring you back for that.
I completely concur and I feel like most of my coaching experience is really like you
and I, like most women know how to work hard.
You're like, you give me a schedule, I'll do it.
Right.
But we don't know what we don't know about, like we just talked about rest, but same thing,
(11:30):
most of what I coach people on and through is things like consistency, things like planning
ahead for your fueling, which you talk about a lot.
Things like your pacing, you know?
And these are all things that like, to me are not like physical, like physicality.
It's more like the mental side and the preparation side and logistics, which is like a whole
(11:51):
nother fourth sport.
If you're into triathlon, it's a whole nother sport.
So I'm going to piggyback off of that, Melissa, and, and just ask you what role does cycling
in itself play in supporting these women over 40 and achieving their overall health and
fitness goals?
I love that.
So for me coming for as a cycling background and a triathlon background, I'm really, like
(12:13):
I kind of just said, like we can all get our minds around the physical of that, right?
The running, the cycling, the swimming, but then we kind of fall apart when we don't have
maybe a plan for the fueling.
And, and in my experience, most women when athletes, not just women, most people, when
they go into an event under fueled, they immediately blame their fitness.
(12:36):
I'm not strong enough.
I'm not fast enough when in reality they're not fueled enough.
So what role cycling plays is really kind of forcing you to slow down and look at what
you're doing in your life in terms of fueling.
Am I eating enough or am I under fueling?
And I really strive to make sure women know that they're eating enough.
And I'm here to say with having worked with right now in my flagship program, we've got,
(12:59):
we've had like 67 women go through that.
And I want to say 60 of them are not eating enough on a regular basis.
And that's just, again, that pervasive, like cultural, you know, be on a diet, be smaller,
lose weight, or the desire to look like you did when you were 25, right?
So there's so much disservice that we're doing by not fueling our bodies enough.
(13:21):
So then the role that cycling would play in that is me asking you to fuel your body enough
for these big long days on the bike or on, you know, doing a triathlon.
And when you actually fuel enough, it's this huge light bulb that goes off and this weight
is lifted from their shoulders.
And this smile that is like permanently on their face because they felt strong.
(13:43):
They felt like they could go forever.
They had a best time.
They knocked times off their all of their running, their swimming, their cycling, and
that feeling of like that general self-efficacy of like, I can do freaking hard things and
I don't need to worry about dieting.
So for me, it's not just the physical, but it goes into like that mental space of confidence,
(14:03):
right?
Self-efficacy.
We can do hard things and we can rock them.
We can slay them if I want to.
And then like that like just bleeds out to the wider community.
So that's my bigger like eye on the bigger goal is if I'm helping, you know, 70 year
old women do triathlons and cut 30 minutes off their time, I'm like, how does that make
(14:24):
them feel?
How do their friends, family, neighbors, triathlon group look up to them and see how much they're
getting?
And then that like bleeds out into the community.
Maybe they do another community event.
Maybe they inspire somebody else in their community to do something else like cool.
So it kind of think about the wider ripple effect of that.
(14:46):
And I really like hope that those athletes in all the areas of the different areas of
the country or the world are thinking in that way, because when they get in there and like
do the damn thing inside that event, that you don't know who you're inspiring.
So for me, it's like if I can have a positive impact in their community, like whether it's,
(15:08):
you know, they're getting out to vote or they're raising money for the women's shelter or whatever,
right?
I think that is where like we transcend and change communities.
So for me, it's not just about the physical, it starts there, but it really is that snowball
and ripple effect.
Yeah, yeah.
And the other thing I want to touch on is, you know, for the audience listening, Marissa
(15:30):
and I were using the term athlete, but that does not mean that you have to have done a
race or you have to, you know, be a triathlete.
We're talking to our Peloton cyclists out there too.
We're talking, you know, to our people who maybe just like to go for a jog in the mornings.
We're talking to you too.
You don't athlete is just a term.
(15:51):
Yeah, that's what I absolutely.
And I like it because it's like all encompassing.
So it's covering like our women, our trans, our FEM, our non-binary people, like everyone
is involved as an athlete and you're an athlete.
I stole from Dr. Sims, but like if you're training on purpose or you have a goal in
mind, I'm calling you an athlete.
Right, right.
(16:12):
Exactly.
Exactly.
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(16:32):
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(16:55):
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(17:17):
Now, so one concern that being in the world of endurance sports, you know, one of the
concerns we always have is regarding injury, especially as we age.
And so what are some of the ways that you coach your clients on for those women who
are over 40 and preventing injury while they are taking on these new cycling adventures?
(17:37):
I love that question.
So always, always, always really important that when you start a new program that you
are like healthy and ready.
So making sure we go through your health park queue and make sure that everything seems
to be in working order.
And if you are concerned or if I do have concerns, I'm going to send a client back to their
doctor just to make sure everything is peachy keen.
(17:58):
Once they're cleared, we work in our, um, essentially I have like a three part kind
of system that I want you to kind of talk with, I'll talk about that is how I coach
people.
So I really focus on first and foremost, preventing injury by working with strength training.
And we start, if you've never strength trained before, we started the basics with body weight
(18:19):
strength training.
And that's in order to get your tendons and your ligaments ready to accept heavier weights,
as well as getting your muscles moving and working on your form.
And that form is what's so important for preventing injury down the road.
In addition, so when you're coaching with me, like I provide some workflow videos and
(18:40):
queuing those videos.
So if your back is sore, here's what to do.
Or if your knee hurts, here's what to do.
And I've swapped in exercise and swap out exercises often because so many of us come
to athletics or anything like that with like a knee injury or a back injury or I hurt my
shoulder.
And I'm here to say like, you can still work out, you can still do things even if you're
(19:03):
a little injured.
Another thing we get is a lot of arthritis, right?
A lot of our demographic do have arthritis.
And ironically, for most arthritis patients, working through that, right?
Working through that discomfort is actually what is good for the arthritis.
But we do make sure I live my life and train my athletes by the moniker, if it hurts, don't
(19:23):
do it.
So please, if you're like getting into that strength training and just not feeling good,
then just don't do it.
Stop and let me know.
Then that's where we kind of come into the swap out.
So using my, gosh, I don't know, like 15 years of personal training now to really just reach
into that toolbox and provide what the clients need.
Then we work right.
(19:44):
So we're standing strong off the bike.
Then we get on the bike and we pedal with power.
So we're not just riding around endless miles with our friends, no real plan.
We do have time for that.
But really, when you want to have some specific goals and you want to hit those goals, we
want to actually ride with a plan.
So we'll do some specific drills on the bike around pedaling, whether it's becoming more
(20:07):
efficient pedaling or we really focus on getting stronger pedaling.
So we have specific drills for those and we go through that.
And then again, if anything feels bad, don't do it.
So then finally, I step people into customizing their program for them by doing what's called
like a training zone benchmark.
(20:27):
So depending on how you measure yourself, whether you're using a power meter or a heart
rate monitor, but we then we figure out how does your body work best.
And then we divide up into those training zones.
So we make sure that as you're over 40 athlete, we're really focusing on either really low
intensity for those longer, longer, longer rides or really high intensity where I like
(20:50):
to say, I want you to go breathless at least once a week.
So those are kind of the beginnings of that.
And then we really focus on the other side of that, which is a rest, right?
So I make sure everybody focuses on minimum two to three days of active rest.
So that doesn't mean you're sitting on the couch watching TV all day.
(21:11):
No, not chilling.
Right.
That puts and chill has a place.
But I also I provide a menu for people of just a ton of different things backed by science
or backed by most of them are backed by science or they're like traditional recovery methods.
And I ask you to just try all of them, whether it's going for an easy walk in nature or even
(21:33):
a picnic outside, like just being outside can decrease those stress hormones, anything
that to decrease your stress.
And then finally, when we're talking about injury and rest and recovery is fueling right
after your workout.
So right after strength training, right after a bike ride, you're hitting that protein and
carbohydrates to actively start refueling your body and rebuilding your tissues.
(21:57):
And that really helps you, a, feel more energetic, but B, really preventing injury.
So it's a balance between working hard and resting hard.
And it's really important to me that folks don't tip the balance, right?
If you have, you sneak in those extra workouts because you don't feel like you're doing enough.
That's when we tip into injury and illness.
(22:18):
And then finally, I have a whole training program using the online software training
peaks.com and those once you're up and running, I get to monitor every single day how you're
doing and I get to see the progression over the weeks.
And if I notice that your fatigue or level of tired goes below a certain threshold, that's
(22:41):
where injury and illness I know starts to crop up.
So it's important that we back away from that, which is why I talk so much about like training
and balance with rest.
So the last thing I'll say is, yeah, we do have the rest week every three weeks rather
than every four, which is the traditional.
And that's really because again, women over 40, we have to focus on physically changing
(23:02):
our behaviors to lower our stress simply because like estrogen isn't doing it for us anymore.
So it's a lot different.
It's less training, which a lot of people are very uncomfortable with at the beginning,
but then they start seeing results and they're like, oh, okay, we could do this.
So yeah, that's really important to me that again, injury is not acceptable and overtraining
(23:25):
is not acceptable.
And so far we've been, I would say safety record, I think I've had two people come down
with injuries out of the like 65.
So I really, really struggle or not struggle, but strongly recommend when you're working
with a coach of any type that you really communicate how you feel.
So yeah, exactly.
(23:46):
Yeah.
Yeah.
And so, you know, I'll put on my doctor hat for a moment and give my PSA to those listening,
definitely see your doctor before you start any training or new fit.
And if it's something, you know, you haven't been doing, or if anything hurts, as Marissa
said, definitely want to see your doctor beforehand to make sure you're healthy enough.
(24:06):
There's some, you know, pre-screening tests that we can do to, to make sure that you're
not putting yourself at certain risk.
And then, you know, if things are hurting and you're not able to perform as you were
previously, then there's some other tests and workups that we can do to make sure that
you're staying healthy.
But the other part to that is very important that you just talked about was having a coach.
(24:28):
I've had a coach myself when I trained for Ironman races, and it's so important to have
someone who is looking at that other side of things for you.
Who's not just, you know, telling you, Hey, go, you know, run 10 miles or whatever, but
they're actually looking at that other side.
They're looking at what your heart rate did.
They look at, they're looking at, you know, how you were able to perform.
(24:48):
They're looking at if your heart rate spiked up really high this time when it's typically
not that high.
And so they're able to see things and help you to prevent things beforehand to answer
you to your doctor too.
Yeah, yeah.
Send it out.
I love that.
Exactly.
Your knee hurts for one more day.
I need you to go to PT or, you know, talk to your doctor.
(25:10):
Exactly.
Yeah.
And so it takes a team, you know, when you're having these health and wellness goals, it's
important that you're working as a team and working with your coach and coaches are great
because they are able to see that other side of things for you that you may not be able
to see when you're at first into what you're trying to do.
Yeah, I love that.
(25:31):
I've been able to successfully work with several physical therapists who were working with other
clients and they were just like, cause we're seeing them every day and they see them once
a week, once every two weeks.
And so it's really nice to have that open discussion pathway with them.
So yeah.
Yeah.
Awesome.
Yep.
For sure.
So if you're just getting started or wanting to get started on a cycling journey to level
(25:55):
up their fitness, what advice would you give to them?
I think that, I mean, there's two ways you can go.
If you're brand new, just starting to ride and finding some friends who ride with you.
So you can do that by looking in your aunt, like Googling locally about local riding clubs,
cycling clubs, triathlon clubs, and joining some of their free trial rides sort of thing.
(26:20):
Because I think most, first and foremost, it should be fun.
Cause if it's not fun, you're not going to do it.
So find someone to ride with you.
And then the other thing that really helps when you're just very beginner is ride a lot,
right?
Like ride what feels good for you and manageable, but going out three or four days a week and
just riding now at a certain point.
And that's different for everyone, depending on your, on your physical and athletic background
(26:44):
at a certain point though, just riding won't give you any sort of benefits anymore.
You do get to a plateau.
And so I always say to folks like, I want you to love it first and just go out and ride.
But when you start to feel like you're struggling with getting faster or you don't understand
something, then I think it's important to hire, hire a coach or join a program like
(27:06):
a triathlon club that has a coach.
And that's because you simply don't know what you don't know.
And there's a lot of information out there that, well, I guess twofold one kind of old
school or more traditional coaches are still following like coaching methods from 20 years
ago.
And there are some coaches now who are really focused on the new science coming out about
(27:27):
peri and post menopausal women athletes.
And which is where I kind of, I fall and I've trained a lot, changed a lot of my, my coaching
methods to really focus on that.
So when you're looking for a coach, look for somebody who is look, who is coaching people
in your stage of life, if that makes sense.
So yeah.
And what does make a great athlete doesn't always make a great coach.
(27:50):
So yeah.
So I think it's really important then as women over 40, especially that you do find a coach
who does have a background or experience with strength training and cycling or triathlon
or running, if that's what you want.
But as women over 40, we cannot afford to ignore strength training, not just for like
muscle, but also bone density as well as injury prevention.
(28:14):
I have a personal story about injury prevention.
I've been lifting weights consistently like day in and day out.
Well, I mean, on a schedule for, I would say five or six years now prior to that, I was
cycling a lot.
I didn't have time.
I thought so anyways, fast forward to about three months ago is a month before my big
trip this year, I tripped in the gym and fell really hard on my butt.
(28:38):
So old Marissa, I would have been back injured for a year, right?
From that terrible like fall, like feet up in the air, right on my hip, the whole thing.
But current day Marissa has so strong.
I had a bruise for two days and was fine.
Now I literally sat there and was like, did I just mess up my whole vacation?
(28:59):
I don't think I can sit on an airplane for 12 hours.
Like, oh crap, but I credit the strength training that I've been doing day in and day out for
five years with a quick recovery time and preventing to get really injured.
Yeah.
I'm just super excited about that.
So to anyone out there who's over 40, just don't give in to not strength training because
(29:21):
that's going to help you get where you want to go a little bit faster.
Right.
Yeah.
And I mean, that's even a recommendation from the American Heart Association from all of
our health and medical associations that you incorporate.
The national recommendation is at least two days a week of strength training, but that's
because you're right, there is even at baseline, there are so many benefits to strength training
(29:44):
as accompanying our cardiovascular training that we do.
Yeah.
And if people are worried about getting injured, invest in yourself for a couple of months
with a personal trainer and have them work you through how to do the exercises because
we don't need to do crazy crossfit, crazy jumps or Olympic style lifting, but just really
(30:06):
get down the basics, like the five basics, which would be like your squats, your hinges,
your lunges, pushing and pulling, and then pushing overhead.
You're going to be just fine working with those.
And in fact, you're going to be better than fine working with those, but getting the confidence
of getting that strength training down first will take that athlete a long way down the
(30:27):
road.
Right.
And you know, the other thing that I love about what you said was the community aspect
for that person who's just getting started.
Community is so important and a lot of what we do, community gives us that sense of motivation.
It gives us that sense of having people who are also able to validate our thoughts and
(30:48):
our feelings and what we're doing.
And when you are cycling, especially if you're outdoor cycling, it can get lonesome if you're
just out on the road by yourself.
And community is a safety community, too, it's helpful to have other people there with
you.
So I agree with definitely reaching out, finding that community, whether it be a Facebook group
or whether it be your local tri club or your local running group, or even just the local,
(31:13):
you know, moms at your kid's school.
You can, you know, recently some moms at one of my kids' school, they created a walking
club.
And so yeah, just get you a community and get out and go for it.
Yeah, because bottom line, if it's not fun, you're not going to do it.
And it's not, it gets not fun after a while with just going solo.
Yeah.
Right.
Right.
And what is one tip for that triathlete who has been in this, in this endurance world,
(31:38):
but now they're moving up in age group and they're concerned about their change in body
and performance.
And what's that one tip you would give them?
Just one.
Right.
They're so neat.
I know.
So if you're moving up, you know, into the forties and or fifties and you're getting
close or have just passed like menopause, I think that most important aspect is to,
(32:01):
and I'm coming from like a physical performance perspective is focus on what your body can
do.
So how like, right, you can swim, you can run, you can walk, you can cycle because we
are all going to go through another transformation, right?
Our bodies won't be the same, similar to like puberty, like you went from a child to like
(32:22):
a young woman.
You're not going to go backwards in time.
And that's a, you know, people selling you myths that you can go back to how you looked
when you were 30 are just like toxic.
So I think it's important to focus on what you can do and focus on setting those new
PRs, whatever that is for you.
Maybe it's going a new distance or going slightly faster in your bike, but really focusing
(32:48):
on how your body can perform and not the number on the scale, right?
The clothes that you are or are not wearing and other like traditional methods of measuring
our worth, I would say.
So and, and I feel like coaches are not even, we're not like immune to this either.
For example, I got myself onto a podium.
(33:10):
It was a couple of months ago and I was so excited.
I had worked really hard.
I was second or something and took pictures and I got my pictures back and I was like,
oh my God, I look so terrible.
Do you know what I mean?
Like, like you just look at that and your immediate thought is like that moment.
You did.
Right.
Yeah.
(33:30):
And we're not immune to that.
So I immediately checked that thought and I was like, you're not 30 years old anymore
either.
So I checked that thought and was like, you just raced, you're the, you know, like you
were the oldest person in this race.
You got yourself on the podium.
Like look at all the stuff that you're doing and you're still doing and having success
with.
And I was like, yeah, look at that.
I am badass, but I'm just here to say like, it still happens to me too.
(33:53):
Right.
Because, and I know better.
So when you are getting older and we're going to go through this, I think it's really important
to focus on what you can do.
And then, and then from there you can decide, do I want to hire a coach who can help me
through this transition or do I want to try to do it myself?
And all of that, but, but focusing on what you can do and not again, those, those kind
(34:14):
of more vanity goals is, is going to, I think lead to better mental health, better physical
outcomes, better relationships, because you're not focusing on the thing you don't have anymore.
For sure.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So really it's about giving yourself grace.
And that's what a lot of what we do when we start to speak those negative thoughts and
(34:34):
put those negative thoughts and feelings, then that actually does, it'll affect our
performance.
It'll affect what we eat.
It'll affect whether we actually do go for that next workout.
You're putting those negative thoughts in versus putting those positive thoughts and
those positive affirmations.
So yeah, absolutely.
So giving ourselves grace goes along.
Yeah.
I have two, I have two more little coaches.
Can I share them?
(34:55):
They kind of go along with it.
One is-
You can, go for it.
Awesome.
I have one that I share, I share both of them within the first month of working with all
my new athletes.
And number one is, so like we prepare for when shit goes sideways, when life happens.
And to do that, I just want you to let it go.
Whatever you were supposed to do that day, just let it go.
(35:15):
But try to take all that, whatever you're feeling, shame about not getting it done or
frustration about stuff going sideways and funnel it into tomorrow and just try not to
miss two days in a row.
Consistency is going to be better than random intensity 100% of the time.
So just try not to miss two days in a row is one coach ism.
(35:36):
And then the other one is my, I just call it like just show up method, but the win for
you in that first month, if getting back into it, even if you've been a travel aid or a
cyclist forever, if you've had a break getting back into it, the method to do that is just
show up.
So I don't care if you do the workout.
I don't care if you only do half of it.
(35:57):
I just want you to get it started.
And that's it because it does a lot for your brain and your habit building.
But those, I want the bar to success to be so low that you can't help but hit it because
all those successes build on each other.
So that's the two tips I got.
Yeah.
I'll tell my little brief story.
I know there've been times where I'll have a workout to do and I'm like, oh gosh, I don't
(36:20):
feel like doing this today.
But I will say you're right, just getting started.
Because typically after I do that first mile, then I'm in it.
At that point, my total mindset has changed.
I'm just like, okay, I feel so much better now.
But sometimes just getting that first foot getting started is the hard part.
So if you just tell yourself, I'm going to get started and see how I feel maybe even
(36:42):
after 10 minutes or 15 minutes and then I'll reevaluate.
Typically, you're going to feel much better and just go for it at that point.
Absolutely.
Yeah, it's 100% true.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Well, thank you so much, Marissa.
I love your passion.
You know, I told you that.
Yeah.
I was so excited to have you share.
So just tell my audience, how can they connect with you?
(37:03):
Well, thank you so much for having me on.
Likewise, we could talk for hours.
We can just do a podcast of us talking for hours.
I can be reached on my website.
So it's actionfitnessandcoaching.com and that's AXN, fitness and coaching all in one word.
So actionfitnessandcoaching.com where you can see all of the programs we have to offer.
Even just created a little everything page so you can check everything out there.
(37:26):
We have things from just downloadable programs all the way through our flagship 12-week coaching
program.
But also, I'm on Instagram at Marissa.Axel.
And then if anyone wants the 3D, I love putting together, it's a jumpstart your cycling program.
So if you are used to training in a certain way and can't quite wrap your mind around
(37:50):
what Marissa is talking about with all of this training and rest, then I encourage you
to just download it because it'll show you a three-week program of how to start, how
to get going, including the workouts.
And that is on our website.
So actionfitnessandcoaching.com.
And then if you want the link, probably will be in the show notes, but it's also in the
little header of our website.
So yeah, I'd love to have you download it.
(38:12):
Yeah, I will put all of that in the show notes for our audience out there.
So thank you.
Thank you so much for coming on.
Thank you so much.
This has been so wonderful.
And y'all, if anyone has questions, hit me up in the DMs.
I'm happy to answer.
Awesome.
Thank you for joining me today on the Essence of Health Tea Time podcast.
Click the subscribe button on your favorite podcast platform so that you never miss a
(38:37):
moment of the Essence of Health Tea Time podcast.
Check out the show notes to obtain your free tips for Healthy Living God to get you started
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(39:03):
Interested in becoming a member of the Essence of Health coaching program?
Well head on over to www.eohcoaching.com.
The Essence of Health is a You.
Welcome to the Essence of Health Tea Time Podcast.
(00:12):
I am your host, Dr. Shayla Toons-Whithers.
As a double board certified family and obesity medicine physician with over 12 years of experience
in medicine, I teach motivated individuals how to achieve their desired quality of life
while preventing and reversing chronic diseases.
(00:33):
It's tea time!
What part of your health journey is most challenging?
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Say yes to yourself today and sign up now at drshayla.com forward slash nfchallenge.
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On today's episode of the Essence of Health Tea Time podcast, I have a special guest,
Marissa Axel.
(02:20):
Marissa Axel is the founder and CEO of AXN Fitness and Coaching, helping her peri-post
mental causal athletes become badass cyclists by showing them how to become stronger, ride
further, faster, and reclaim their mojo all while training less.
Marissa has been coaching and personal training with athletes since 2008.
(02:44):
She's a category one cyclist and holds an undergraduate degree in biological sciences
from William Mett University.
She holds certifications for nutrition, coaching, personal training, and retool bike fit.
Since reading Roar by Dr. Stacey Sams over 6 years ago, Marissa is on a mission to make
(03:04):
sure women over 40 learn the new rules for training and achieving cycling goals.
Welcome to the podcast, Marissa.
I am so excited to have this discussion with you today.
Thank you so much for having me.
I am thrilled to be here.
Yeah, yeah, for sure.
So we're just going to dive right in and I'm going to have you just share with us a bit
(03:24):
of your story.
What inspired you to found AXN Fitness and Coaching?
Yeah, so I, the brief version, in 2016, I started, previous to that I was a cycling
coach as well, but also doing in-person cycling classes, working for other people.
(03:44):
And in 2016, myself and a friend became business partners and opened a indoor cycling and strength
training gym in San Francisco.
And all of the things that go along with that.
So I was your 6 a.m. instructor.
I was the person writing the emails and you can see where this is going, right?
I got burnt out.
(04:07):
So around 2019, I realized that something had to change.
I didn't realize I was burnt out, but something had to change.
I had the hard conversations.
I made the change and I left that business partnership and relaunched my business, AXN
Fitness.
I pronounce it like action fitness, because that's the most important thing is to take
(04:30):
action when you want to get towards those next goals.
So whether it's a hard conversation or starting a new coaching program.
So that was the goal was I wanted to be my own CEO.
I wanted to found my own business and go 100% behind it instead of kind of half-assing it
while also doing other things.
(04:50):
And that kind of is my personality.
Like once I have a goal, I put two feet in and I do everything to get there because I
want to be on the start line, whether it's a bike race or a business conference.
I want to be on that start line knowing that I did everything in my power to make myself
have the best, whatever it is, a race conference event meeting.
(05:11):
And that was it.
That's how it was born.
That's awesome.
I love that too about you, Marissa, that you're a go-getter.
You know, when we first met, we were able to just like chat forever.
Yeah, yeah.
So many commonalities.
So yeah, I love that.
And now with the, you know, the women that you coach, you coach women through one of
(05:34):
those challenging life changes.
And so with those women over 40, when it comes to really leveling up in fitness, what are
some of the common concerns that you find that those women have?
Yeah.
So it all started with me, which I guess goes back to your first question was I was struggling
and I didn't know why.
And like certain things would happen and I just, I couldn't figure it out.
(05:57):
So I went back to, I'd read Roar in 2016.
So before my forties, then I literally hit 40 and was like, I am struggling to get out
of bed.
Whereas I was always the go-getter, the super energetic one.
I was struggling to even stay awake during the day.
I really thought I was sick.
Like there was a lot going on.
And it turned out I didn't know anything that perimenopause was a thing.
(06:21):
And so of course, through lots of research, because of my background being in science,
like I want to read all of the information.
And so I started with Dr. Sims and Roar.
I've read a ton of other things by other women as well, but there's a movement y'all about
talking about moving from like, first of all, naming perimenopause and letting women over
35 really know that it's going to happen soon.
(06:43):
And then there's all these symptoms.
What are you going to do about it?
So it was born out of my selfish, I want to keep going and doing this.
And then I realized nobody knew about it.
So that's where these most common concerns come from, right?
Fatigue, that's a huge one.
They just notice, we notice that we wake up and we're not really awake and what the hell
is going on?
(07:03):
The other big two that I see day in and day out is the misconception of, well, first of
all, we know just kind of tangentially that like body changes are going to happen, right?
So that means I need to get on a diet and exercise harder.
And that is the biggest myth I'm trying to be out here in these streets busting is when
(07:24):
you put your, yeah, right?
Like when you restrict your calories and exercise harder, it's going to backfire.
So and that like extends out to the latest fad diets that are out there and the latest
kind of witchcraft that they're selling on TikTok or Instagram, right?
Like cleanses aren't going to do it.
Like it's so it's really important to me that we know that there's new rules that really
(07:47):
affect how we can cycle or fitness train or whatever your training is.
It doesn't have to be just be cycling, but there's new rules that apply to you.
And then all you have to do is learn them and start implementing them.
But that's the hardest part, right?
The second one is I find this again, I'm out here in these streets railing against it.
And it is that rest is lazy.
(08:08):
I'm losing fitness and that cannot be farther from the truth, right?
So as a fitness instructor, as a personal trainer, as a cycling coach or a swimming
coach or triathlon coach of what I used to do, we all know that rest is where you actually
physically regenerate and get stronger and faster.
And so this common conception of I can't sit around and rest today.
(08:30):
I have stuff to do.
I kind of rail against honestly, like the capitalist patriarchy of saying like a busy
bee is a good bee.
You know, like you are inherently good if you rest.
OK, you don't have to just be on and on and on.
But I think that it comes to the larger like cultural discussion around women in our culture
(08:50):
is like we're the caretakers, right?
We run the household.
We do the emotional labor and we want to be successful in your athletic field.
And I'm here to say like you need to put yourself first and rest because that's where you actually
get stronger and faster.
So those two or I guess three big like misconceptions around fitness are, you know, what I'm here
(09:13):
to like spread, spread the word and just say like I want I want us to know these new rules.
Yeah, right.
For sure.
Yeah.
You know, food is fuel.
That's one of the, you know, the common things that I say have been they've been listening
to this podcast and that, you know, that's exactly what you're saying.
Food does fuel us.
And so we can't do this overly restrictive thing or that is going to feed into some of
(09:35):
that fatigue and that stress to then rest.
One of the common things I like analogies I like to make is is even to babies, you know,
babies sleep so much because they're in that development phase.
And that's what happens when we rest.
We're developing, we're growing.
Our brain cells are even growing and getting stronger.
Even as adults and as we age, we still need that rest because our body, our bodies do
(10:00):
need that for continued health and development.
So that's so true.
Yeah, 100%.
And it turns out I have a lot of, I don't know, anecdotes and testimonials, but when
women rest, they actually get like exponentially faster on their bike because they've never
experienced resting before.
And they've always been tired when they're going to their events.
(10:21):
So it's, it's, it makes my job easy.
It makes me look kind of good because I've, I've kind of put them on a schedule and their
body is expecting rest and then they actually perform well.
I just, it makes me so happy.
Yeah, I can believe that.
And you know, the funny thing about being in the triathlon world, how early these races
start, right?
You know, then you're constantly training yourself because you know, the races, you
(10:44):
got to be there like four or five AM to get your stuff set up.
It starts at six 30 most of the time, you know, through the summer months.
It does make it sometimes hard for you to get that rest, but it's important.
What you're saying is to prioritize that and to fit that into your, your training plan
actively.
Yeah.
And not only that, but talk about your fueling at four AM, right?
(11:06):
Like what are you eating?
That's a whole different, I have to bring you back for that.
I completely concur and I feel like most of my coaching experience is really like you
and I, like most women know how to work hard.
You're like, you give me a schedule, I'll do it.
Right.
But we don't know what we don't know about, like we just talked about rest, but same thing,
(11:30):
most of what I coach people on and through is things like consistency, things like planning
ahead for your fueling, which you talk about a lot.
Things like your pacing, you know?
And these are all things that like, to me are not like physical, like physicality.
It's more like the mental side and the preparation side and logistics, which is like a whole
(11:51):
nother fourth sport.
If you're into triathlon, it's a whole nother sport.
So I'm going to piggyback off of that, Melissa, and, and just ask you what role does cycling
in itself play in supporting these women over 40 and achieving their overall health and
fitness goals?
I love that.
So for me coming for as a cycling background and a triathlon background, I'm really, like
(12:13):
I kind of just said, like we can all get our minds around the physical of that, right?
The running, the cycling, the swimming, but then we kind of fall apart when we don't have
maybe a plan for the fueling.
And, and in my experience, most women when athletes, not just women, most people, when
they go into an event under fueled, they immediately blame their fitness.
(12:36):
I'm not strong enough.
I'm not fast enough when in reality they're not fueled enough.
So what role cycling plays is really kind of forcing you to slow down and look at what
you're doing in your life in terms of fueling.
Am I eating enough or am I under fueling?
And I really strive to make sure women know that they're eating enough.
And I'm here to say with having worked with right now in my flagship program, we've got,
(12:59):
we've had like 67 women go through that.
And I want to say 60 of them are not eating enough on a regular basis.
And that's just, again, that pervasive, like cultural, you know, be on a diet, be smaller,
lose weight, or the desire to look like you did when you were 25, right?
So there's so much disservice that we're doing by not fueling our bodies enough.
(13:21):
So then the role that cycling would play in that is me asking you to fuel your body enough
for these big long days on the bike or on, you know, doing a triathlon.
And when you actually fuel enough, it's this huge light bulb that goes off and this weight
is lifted from their shoulders.
And this smile that is like permanently on their face because they felt strong.
(13:43):
They felt like they could go forever.
They had a best time.
They knocked times off their all of their running, their swimming, their cycling, and
that feeling of like that general self-efficacy of like, I can do freaking hard things and
I don't need to worry about dieting.
So for me, it's not just the physical, but it goes into like that mental space of confidence,
(14:03):
right?
Self-efficacy.
We can do hard things and we can rock them.
We can slay them if I want to.
And then like that like just bleeds out to the wider community.
So that's my bigger like eye on the bigger goal is if I'm helping, you know, 70 year
old women do triathlons and cut 30 minutes off their time, I'm like, how does that make
(14:24):
them feel?
How do their friends, family, neighbors, triathlon group look up to them and see how much they're
getting?
And then that like bleeds out into the community.
Maybe they do another community event.
Maybe they inspire somebody else in their community to do something else like cool.
So it kind of think about the wider ripple effect of that.
(14:46):
And I really like hope that those athletes in all the areas of the different areas of
the country or the world are thinking in that way, because when they get in there and like
do the damn thing inside that event, that you don't know who you're inspiring.
So for me, it's like if I can have a positive impact in their community, like whether it's,
(15:08):
you know, they're getting out to vote or they're raising money for the women's shelter or whatever,
right?
I think that is where like we transcend and change communities.
So for me, it's not just about the physical, it starts there, but it really is that snowball
and ripple effect.
Yeah, yeah.
And the other thing I want to touch on is, you know, for the audience listening, Marissa
(15:30):
and I were using the term athlete, but that does not mean that you have to have done a
race or you have to, you know, be a triathlete.
We're talking to our Peloton cyclists out there too.
We're talking, you know, to our people who maybe just like to go for a jog in the mornings.
We're talking to you too.
You don't athlete is just a term.
(15:51):
Yeah, that's what I absolutely.
And I like it because it's like all encompassing.
So it's covering like our women, our trans, our FEM, our non-binary people, like everyone
is involved as an athlete and you're an athlete.
I stole from Dr. Sims, but like if you're training on purpose or you have a goal in
mind, I'm calling you an athlete.
Right, right.
(16:12):
Exactly.
Exactly.
If you're frustrated with your weight, taking more medications than you like to have been
told that you are at risk for the development of a chronic preventable disease or just are
not feeling in the best of health, then I'm talking to you.
Why?
Because you're tired of fat dieting.
(16:32):
You know, it's time for a change and you want a sustainable plan to improve your health.
If you have found yourself at this place in life, well, I have developed a program that's
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(16:55):
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That's just for you.
The benefits are priceless.
So join today.
Head on over to eohcoaching.com to learn more.
The essence of health is in you.
(17:17):
Now, so one concern that being in the world of endurance sports, you know, one of the
concerns we always have is regarding injury, especially as we age.
And so what are some of the ways that you coach your clients on for those women who
are over 40 and preventing injury while they are taking on these new cycling adventures?
(17:37):
I love that question.
So always, always, always really important that when you start a new program that you
are like healthy and ready.
So making sure we go through your health park queue and make sure that everything seems
to be in working order.
And if you are concerned or if I do have concerns, I'm going to send a client back to their
doctor just to make sure everything is peachy keen.
(17:58):
Once they're cleared, we work in our, um, essentially I have like a three part kind
of system that I want you to kind of talk with, I'll talk about that is how I coach
people.
So I really focus on first and foremost, preventing injury by working with strength training.
And we start, if you've never strength trained before, we started the basics with body weight
(18:19):
strength training.
And that's in order to get your tendons and your ligaments ready to accept heavier weights,
as well as getting your muscles moving and working on your form.
And that form is what's so important for preventing injury down the road.
In addition, so when you're coaching with me, like I provide some workflow videos and
(18:40):
queuing those videos.
So if your back is sore, here's what to do.
Or if your knee hurts, here's what to do.
And I've swapped in exercise and swap out exercises often because so many of us come
to athletics or anything like that with like a knee injury or a back injury or I hurt my
shoulder.
And I'm here to say like, you can still work out, you can still do things even if you're
(19:03):
a little injured.
Another thing we get is a lot of arthritis, right?
A lot of our demographic do have arthritis.
And ironically, for most arthritis patients, working through that, right?
Working through that discomfort is actually what is good for the arthritis.
But we do make sure I live my life and train my athletes by the moniker, if it hurts, don't
(19:23):
do it.
So please, if you're like getting into that strength training and just not feeling good,
then just don't do it.
Stop and let me know.
Then that's where we kind of come into the swap out.
So using my, gosh, I don't know, like 15 years of personal training now to really just reach
into that toolbox and provide what the clients need.
Then we work right.
(19:44):
So we're standing strong off the bike.
Then we get on the bike and we pedal with power.
So we're not just riding around endless miles with our friends, no real plan.
We do have time for that.
But really, when you want to have some specific goals and you want to hit those goals, we
want to actually ride with a plan.
So we'll do some specific drills on the bike around pedaling, whether it's becoming more
(20:07):
efficient pedaling or we really focus on getting stronger pedaling.
So we have specific drills for those and we go through that.
And then again, if anything feels bad, don't do it.
So then finally, I step people into customizing their program for them by doing what's called
like a training zone benchmark.
(20:27):
So depending on how you measure yourself, whether you're using a power meter or a heart
rate monitor, but we then we figure out how does your body work best.
And then we divide up into those training zones.
So we make sure that as you're over 40 athlete, we're really focusing on either really low
intensity for those longer, longer, longer rides or really high intensity where I like
(20:50):
to say, I want you to go breathless at least once a week.
So those are kind of the beginnings of that.
And then we really focus on the other side of that, which is a rest, right?
So I make sure everybody focuses on minimum two to three days of active rest.
So that doesn't mean you're sitting on the couch watching TV all day.
(21:11):
No, not chilling.
Right.
That puts and chill has a place.
But I also I provide a menu for people of just a ton of different things backed by science
or backed by most of them are backed by science or they're like traditional recovery methods.
And I ask you to just try all of them, whether it's going for an easy walk in nature or even
(21:33):
a picnic outside, like just being outside can decrease those stress hormones, anything
that to decrease your stress.
And then finally, when we're talking about injury and rest and recovery is fueling right
after your workout.
So right after strength training, right after a bike ride, you're hitting that protein and
carbohydrates to actively start refueling your body and rebuilding your tissues.
(21:57):
And that really helps you, a, feel more energetic, but B, really preventing injury.
So it's a balance between working hard and resting hard.
And it's really important to me that folks don't tip the balance, right?
If you have, you sneak in those extra workouts because you don't feel like you're doing enough.
That's when we tip into injury and illness.
(22:18):
And then finally, I have a whole training program using the online software training
peaks.com and those once you're up and running, I get to monitor every single day how you're
doing and I get to see the progression over the weeks.
And if I notice that your fatigue or level of tired goes below a certain threshold, that's
(22:41):
where injury and illness I know starts to crop up.
So it's important that we back away from that, which is why I talk so much about like training
and balance with rest.
So the last thing I'll say is, yeah, we do have the rest week every three weeks rather
than every four, which is the traditional.
And that's really because again, women over 40, we have to focus on physically changing
(23:02):
our behaviors to lower our stress simply because like estrogen isn't doing it for us anymore.
So it's a lot different.
It's less training, which a lot of people are very uncomfortable with at the beginning,
but then they start seeing results and they're like, oh, okay, we could do this.
So yeah, that's really important to me that again, injury is not acceptable and overtraining
(23:25):
is not acceptable.
And so far we've been, I would say safety record, I think I've had two people come down
with injuries out of the like 65.
So I really, really struggle or not struggle, but strongly recommend when you're working
with a coach of any type that you really communicate how you feel.
So yeah, exactly.
(23:46):
Yeah.
Yeah.
And so, you know, I'll put on my doctor hat for a moment and give my PSA to those listening,
definitely see your doctor before you start any training or new fit.
And if it's something, you know, you haven't been doing, or if anything hurts, as Marissa
said, definitely want to see your doctor beforehand to make sure you're healthy enough.
(24:06):
There's some, you know, pre-screening tests that we can do to, to make sure that you're
not putting yourself at certain risk.
And then, you know, if things are hurting and you're not able to perform as you were
previously, then there's some other tests and workups that we can do to make sure that
you're staying healthy.
But the other part to that is very important that you just talked about was having a coach.
(24:28):
I've had a coach myself when I trained for Ironman races, and it's so important to have
someone who is looking at that other side of things for you.
Who's not just, you know, telling you, Hey, go, you know, run 10 miles or whatever, but
they're actually looking at that other side.
They're looking at what your heart rate did.
They look at, they're looking at, you know, how you were able to perform.
(24:48):
They're looking at if your heart rate spiked up really high this time when it's typically
not that high.
And so they're able to see things and help you to prevent things beforehand to answer
you to your doctor too.
Yeah, yeah.
Send it out.
I love that.
Exactly.
Your knee hurts for one more day.
I need you to go to PT or, you know, talk to your doctor.
(25:10):
Exactly.
Yeah.
And so it takes a team, you know, when you're having these health and wellness goals, it's
important that you're working as a team and working with your coach and coaches are great
because they are able to see that other side of things for you that you may not be able
to see when you're at first into what you're trying to do.
Yeah, I love that.
(25:31):
I've been able to successfully work with several physical therapists who were working with other
clients and they were just like, cause we're seeing them every day and they see them once
a week, once every two weeks.
And so it's really nice to have that open discussion pathway with them.
So yeah.
Yeah.
Awesome.
Yep.
For sure.
So if you're just getting started or wanting to get started on a cycling journey to level
(25:55):
up their fitness, what advice would you give to them?
I think that, I mean, there's two ways you can go.
If you're brand new, just starting to ride and finding some friends who ride with you.
So you can do that by looking in your aunt, like Googling locally about local riding clubs,
cycling clubs, triathlon clubs, and joining some of their free trial rides sort of thing.
(26:20):
Because I think most, first and foremost, it should be fun.
Cause if it's not fun, you're not going to do it.
So find someone to ride with you.
And then the other thing that really helps when you're just very beginner is ride a lot,
right?
Like ride what feels good for you and manageable, but going out three or four days a week and
just riding now at a certain point.
And that's different for everyone, depending on your, on your physical and athletic background
(26:44):
at a certain point though, just riding won't give you any sort of benefits anymore.
You do get to a plateau.
And so I always say to folks like, I want you to love it first and just go out and ride.
But when you start to feel like you're struggling with getting faster or you don't understand
something, then I think it's important to hire, hire a coach or join a program like
(27:06):
a triathlon club that has a coach.
And that's because you simply don't know what you don't know.
And there's a lot of information out there that, well, I guess twofold one kind of old
school or more traditional coaches are still following like coaching methods from 20 years
ago.
And there are some coaches now who are really focused on the new science coming out about
(27:27):
peri and post menopausal women athletes.
And which is where I kind of, I fall and I've trained a lot, changed a lot of my, my coaching
methods to really focus on that.
So when you're looking for a coach, look for somebody who is look, who is coaching people
in your stage of life, if that makes sense.
So yeah.
And what does make a great athlete doesn't always make a great coach.
(27:50):
So yeah.
So I think it's really important then as women over 40, especially that you do find a coach
who does have a background or experience with strength training and cycling or triathlon
or running, if that's what you want.
But as women over 40, we cannot afford to ignore strength training, not just for like
muscle, but also bone density as well as injury prevention.
(28:14):
I have a personal story about injury prevention.
I've been lifting weights consistently like day in and day out.
Well, I mean, on a schedule for, I would say five or six years now prior to that, I was
cycling a lot.
I didn't have time.
I thought so anyways, fast forward to about three months ago is a month before my big
trip this year, I tripped in the gym and fell really hard on my butt.
(28:38):
So old Marissa, I would have been back injured for a year, right?
From that terrible like fall, like feet up in the air, right on my hip, the whole thing.
But current day Marissa has so strong.
I had a bruise for two days and was fine.
Now I literally sat there and was like, did I just mess up my whole vacation?
(28:59):
I don't think I can sit on an airplane for 12 hours.
Like, oh crap, but I credit the strength training that I've been doing day in and day out for
five years with a quick recovery time and preventing to get really injured.
Yeah.
I'm just super excited about that.
So to anyone out there who's over 40, just don't give in to not strength training because
(29:21):
that's going to help you get where you want to go a little bit faster.
Right.
Yeah.
And I mean, that's even a recommendation from the American Heart Association from all of
our health and medical associations that you incorporate.
The national recommendation is at least two days a week of strength training, but that's
because you're right, there is even at baseline, there are so many benefits to strength training
(29:44):
as accompanying our cardiovascular training that we do.
Yeah.
And if people are worried about getting injured, invest in yourself for a couple of months
with a personal trainer and have them work you through how to do the exercises because
we don't need to do crazy crossfit, crazy jumps or Olympic style lifting, but just really
(30:06):
get down the basics, like the five basics, which would be like your squats, your hinges,
your lunges, pushing and pulling, and then pushing overhead.
You're going to be just fine working with those.
And in fact, you're going to be better than fine working with those, but getting the confidence
of getting that strength training down first will take that athlete a long way down the
(30:27):
road.
Right.
And you know, the other thing that I love about what you said was the community aspect
for that person who's just getting started.
Community is so important and a lot of what we do, community gives us that sense of motivation.
It gives us that sense of having people who are also able to validate our thoughts and
(30:48):
our feelings and what we're doing.
And when you are cycling, especially if you're outdoor cycling, it can get lonesome if you're
just out on the road by yourself.
And community is a safety community, too, it's helpful to have other people there with
you.
So I agree with definitely reaching out, finding that community, whether it be a Facebook group
or whether it be your local tri club or your local running group, or even just the local,
(31:13):
you know, moms at your kid's school.
You can, you know, recently some moms at one of my kids' school, they created a walking
club.
And so yeah, just get you a community and get out and go for it.
Yeah, because bottom line, if it's not fun, you're not going to do it.
And it's not, it gets not fun after a while with just going solo.
Yeah.
Right.
Right.
And what is one tip for that triathlete who has been in this, in this endurance world,
(31:38):
but now they're moving up in age group and they're concerned about their change in body
and performance.
And what's that one tip you would give them?
Just one.
Right.
They're so neat.
I know.
So if you're moving up, you know, into the forties and or fifties and you're getting
close or have just passed like menopause, I think that most important aspect is to,
(32:01):
and I'm coming from like a physical performance perspective is focus on what your body can
do.
So how like, right, you can swim, you can run, you can walk, you can cycle because we
are all going to go through another transformation, right?
Our bodies won't be the same, similar to like puberty, like you went from a child to like
(32:22):
a young woman.
You're not going to go backwards in time.
And that's a, you know, people selling you myths that you can go back to how you looked
when you were 30 are just like toxic.
So I think it's important to focus on what you can do and focus on setting those new
PRs, whatever that is for you.
Maybe it's going a new distance or going slightly faster in your bike, but really focusing
(32:48):
on how your body can perform and not the number on the scale, right?
The clothes that you are or are not wearing and other like traditional methods of measuring
our worth, I would say.
So and, and I feel like coaches are not even, we're not like immune to this either.
For example, I got myself onto a podium.
(33:10):
It was a couple of months ago and I was so excited.
I had worked really hard.
I was second or something and took pictures and I got my pictures back and I was like,
oh my God, I look so terrible.
Do you know what I mean?
Like, like you just look at that and your immediate thought is like that moment.
You did.
Right.
Yeah.
(33:30):
And we're not immune to that.
So I immediately checked that thought and I was like, you're not 30 years old anymore
either.
So I checked that thought and was like, you just raced, you're the, you know, like you
were the oldest person in this race.
You got yourself on the podium.
Like look at all the stuff that you're doing and you're still doing and having success
with.
And I was like, yeah, look at that.
I am badass, but I'm just here to say like, it still happens to me too.
(33:53):
Right.
Because, and I know better.
So when you are getting older and we're going to go through this, I think it's really important
to focus on what you can do.
And then, and then from there you can decide, do I want to hire a coach who can help me
through this transition or do I want to try to do it myself?
And all of that, but, but focusing on what you can do and not again, those, those kind
(34:14):
of more vanity goals is, is going to, I think lead to better mental health, better physical
outcomes, better relationships, because you're not focusing on the thing you don't have anymore.
For sure.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So really it's about giving yourself grace.
And that's what a lot of what we do when we start to speak those negative thoughts and
(34:34):
put those negative thoughts and feelings, then that actually does, it'll affect our
performance.
It'll affect what we eat.
It'll affect whether we actually do go for that next workout.
You're putting those negative thoughts in versus putting those positive thoughts and
those positive affirmations.
So yeah, absolutely.
So giving ourselves grace goes along.
Yeah.
I have two, I have two more little coaches.
Can I share them?
(34:55):
They kind of go along with it.
One is-
You can, go for it.
Awesome.
I have one that I share, I share both of them within the first month of working with all
my new athletes.
And number one is, so like we prepare for when shit goes sideways, when life happens.
And to do that, I just want you to let it go.
Whatever you were supposed to do that day, just let it go.
(35:15):
But try to take all that, whatever you're feeling, shame about not getting it done or
frustration about stuff going sideways and funnel it into tomorrow and just try not to
miss two days in a row.
Consistency is going to be better than random intensity 100% of the time.
So just try not to miss two days in a row is one coach ism.
(35:36):
And then the other one is my, I just call it like just show up method, but the win for
you in that first month, if getting back into it, even if you've been a travel aid or a
cyclist forever, if you've had a break getting back into it, the method to do that is just
show up.
So I don't care if you do the workout.
I don't care if you only do half of it.
(35:57):
I just want you to get it started.
And that's it because it does a lot for your brain and your habit building.
But those, I want the bar to success to be so low that you can't help but hit it because
all those successes build on each other.
So that's the two tips I got.
Yeah.
I'll tell my little brief story.
I know there've been times where I'll have a workout to do and I'm like, oh gosh, I don't
(36:20):
feel like doing this today.
But I will say you're right, just getting started.
Because typically after I do that first mile, then I'm in it.
At that point, my total mindset has changed.
I'm just like, okay, I feel so much better now.
But sometimes just getting that first foot getting started is the hard part.
So if you just tell yourself, I'm going to get started and see how I feel maybe even
(36:42):
after 10 minutes or 15 minutes and then I'll reevaluate.
Typically, you're going to feel much better and just go for it at that point.
Absolutely.
Yeah, it's 100% true.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Well, thank you so much, Marissa.
I love your passion.
You know, I told you that.
Yeah.
I was so excited to have you share.
So just tell my audience, how can they connect with you?
(37:03):
Well, thank you so much for having me on.
Likewise, we could talk for hours.
We can just do a podcast of us talking for hours.
I can be reached on my website.
So it's actionfitnessandcoaching.com and that's AXN, fitness and coaching all in one word.
So actionfitnessandcoaching.com where you can see all of the programs we have to offer.
Even just created a little everything page so you can check everything out there.
(37:26):
We have things from just downloadable programs all the way through our flagship 12-week coaching
program.
But also, I'm on Instagram at Marissa.Axel.
And then if anyone wants the 3D, I love putting together, it's a jumpstart your cycling program.
So if you are used to training in a certain way and can't quite wrap your mind around
(37:50):
what Marissa is talking about with all of this training and rest, then I encourage you
to just download it because it'll show you a three-week program of how to start, how
to get going, including the workouts.
And that is on our website.
So actionfitnessandcoaching.com.
And then if you want the link, probably will be in the show notes, but it's also in the
little header of our website.
So yeah, I'd love to have you download it.
(38:12):
Yeah, I will put all of that in the show notes for our audience out there.
So thank you.
Thank you so much for coming on.
Thank you so much.
This has been so wonderful.
And y'all, if anyone has questions, hit me up in the DMs.
I'm happy to answer.
Awesome.
Thank you for joining me today on the Essence of Health Tea Time podcast.
Click the subscribe button on your favorite podcast platform so that you never miss a
(38:37):
moment of the Essence of Health Tea Time podcast.
Check out the show notes to obtain your free tips for Healthy Living God to get you started
on your health and wellness path.
Follow me on social media at Essence of Health Wellness Clinic on Facebook, Instagram, and
YouTube and at doctor.tw at EOHWC on TikTok.
(39:03):
Interested in becoming a member of the Essence of Health coaching program?
Well head on over to www.eohcoaching.com.
The Essence of Health is a You.
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