In the exercise for hormone balance scheme of things you are not a textbook exercise prescription. Progesterone is a trick to figure out sometimes. The signs can be similar to adrenal fatigue, premenstrual syndrome, or just the chronic fatigue you’ve learned to tolerate. This episode I dive into exercise for hormone balance and how it relates to progesterone.

What it is and what it does:

• Anti-inflammaty hormone
• Calming, soothing effect
• Raises serotonin levels in the brain
• Helps cope with depression and insomnia

Poor progesterone could be the forgotten hormone. Estrogen and testosterone and cortisol steal the attention. Because of that, this may be news to you. During menopause low progesterone levels can occur.

Estrogen dominance occurs when progesterone is low – since these two need to be on a balanced relationship.

Symptoms of low progesterone:

• Tiredness
• Irritation
• Anxiety
• Weight gain
• Bloating
• Depression
• Headaches
• Body not functioning well, more seriously, cancer
• Spotting before your period should start. That can be caused by other things so you may want to check with a physician about the reason. 

Therapeutic solutions:

Progesterone therapy, pills or oil compounds

Taking your temperature daily can help if you’re still ovulating.

Progesterone rises after ovulation, and stays up until your next period (about 11-14 days). If your temperature doesn’t rise or stay up (a short phase), then you could have a progesterone deficiency.

In You Still Got It, Girl and the After 50 Fitness Formula for Women course you will chart your temperature (along with half a dozen other measures) for 30 days to check hormone fluctuations and thyroid function.

You can test using progesterone strips.

Reasons for low progesterone:

• High estrogen
• Lack of physical activity and unhealthy nutrition
• Insulin resistance
• Chronic stress
• Medications - hormone therapies and steroids, oral contraceptives, and some other medications block production of progesterone.
• Age – between 35 and 50 estrogen levels drop by 35 percent but progesterone levels plummet by as much as 75 percent.

Estrogen dominance can cause:

• Stomach pains
• Hot flashes
• Mood swings
• Weight gain 

Progesterone oils can be massaged into the skin, injected into muscle, or taken in pill form. Like most things, more is not better. Work with a doctor if you’re at the point lifestyle modifications haven’t helped to you have medical supervision.

Natural progesterone boosts

Eat more foods with zinc, selenium (brazil nuts), magnesium (details below)

Herbal remedies

Vitamin supplements – especially B and C

Rest to deal with stress - focus on yoga, restorative exercise to replace all or most of your high intensity training. Shorter and fewer bouts of HIIT and short but effective weight training along with nurturing walks, restorative yoga, and rest is best.

No foods contain progesterone but you can eat foods that help your body increase progesterone levels.

Eat foods that help reduce excess estrogen.

Reduce your stress levels and you naturally increase progesterone.

Body fat produces excess estrogen, so losing fat is a focus, but avoiding high stress means of doing it is key.

Potentially, the intuitive option of cutting calories, trying to exercise more may contribute to worsening symptoms as you increase cortisol and chronic stress on your body. It’s a collective measure of your mental, physical, and emotional stress that matters.

What I find works well for women who love to exercise is having a plan. When you’re sick and tired of being sick and tired, or putting on belly fat and bloating, it is easier to accept that what you’re doing isn’t working. Surrender to a plan that supports you feeling better – filling that hole that’s been dug – so you can get your energy back by balancing your hormones.

Be sure your diet is rich in foods containing these micronutrients:

• Magnesium: dark leafy greens, pumpkin seeds, fish (mackerel), brown rice, dark chocolate
• Vitamin C: kiwi, dark green leafy veggies, yellow peppers, broccoli
• B6: sunflower seeds, pistachio nuts, fish, turkey
• Zinc: cooked oysters, lean beef, pumpkin seeds, cashews
• L-Arginine: turkey, chicken, pumpkin seeds, chickpeas
• Vitamin E: almonds, sunflower seeds, shrimp, olive oil

Other things to consider:

The herb Chasteberry: Avoid if you’re taking hormonal birth control or trying to get pregnant

Progesterone cream: natural with no plant estrogens, Mexican yam cream or wild yam, and look for something enriched with vitamin E

Foods that increase estrogen dominance: (avoid these)

• Sugars
• Sweeteners
• Preservatives
• Artificial colorings
• Plastics – including bottled water, plastic wrap on food, never microwave food in them or leave water bottles in the car exposed to sunlight and redrink, Just sitting for a long time plastics start to break down and the chemicals leech into foods. Store your foods in glass rather than plastic.
• Hormone-laden meat Buy hormone-free meat and organic foods whenever you can. When something is “huge in size but very cheap and potentially if you’ve tried it, has very little flavor, it’s been treated with hormones and pesticides.

Another reason for fiber. The amount of time food has to pass through your body can influence how much excess estrogen you have.

The longer food sits in your bowel the more estrogen is re-absorbed into your body.

Your liver filters all the chemicals you might have eaten or are still eating. Help it by reducing chemicals and increasing foods that help the liver function:

• Onions
• Garlic
• Egg yolk
• Spinach
• Brussels sprouts
• Lemons
• Limes

Another reason to whine about wine

• Alcohol impacts your estrogen metabolism. If you’re waiting for the other shoe to drop, here is:
• So does coffee.

Stress

Get into flow. Lose your sense of time. (Wouldn’t that be nice?) Stressors and stressful events are not going to go away. If however, you’re good at making them worse through worrying or making them all your business though they’re not, then this is where you need to spend time. You don’t have to sit and meditate. You don’t have to do yoga. You do have to identify what makes you truly lose your sense of time and do more of it. For some it is a hobby like knitting or scrapbooking.

Fat cells convert testosterone into excess estrogen

So yes, exercise, and eat right. Crash dieting or missing the valuable nutrients above though will worsen not help. Over exercising will also cause a downward spiral. 

Reducing cortisol and stress overall is part of a hormone balancing exercise reset. That means temporarily less – a lot less – is going to be your best friend. What you may also realize is to get back to the kind of shape you were once in you can’t do the kind of exercise you once did.

SAMPLE Week 1 of exercise for hormone balance:

• Walk /hike
• Yoga
• Garden
• Spring Clean your house (oddly- the act of doing this is exercise AND organizing your environment helps you reduce clutter mentally too)

Avoid & reduce:

• Screens
• Processed food, sugars, artificial sweeteners
• Plastics 

Improve:

Your bedtime routine

Take responsibility and plan your actions. Small weekly changes can make a big difference in your energy. 

Resources mentioned:

You Still Got It, Girl book

After 50 Fitness Formula for Women course

Progesterone test strips

RIGHT NOW... FIT U is 50% off 

Are you flipping 50 looking for a new or a renewed relationship?

Nicole DiRocco shares steps to optimize relationships after 50. We’re skipping the dating do’s and don’ts and going for the real readiness tests today. This dimension of wellness is a crucial part of total health and it’s much more tied to your fitness than you might think at first glance.

Historically, data show that men or women in a relationship are healthier overall and have better self care habits. Which comes first? We dive into it today.

Nicole DiRocco, founder of DatingWithGrace.me, is devoted to helping executive women have the confidence and skills to attract a healthy, extraordinary loving relationship.

Questions we answer in today’s episode:

1. It’s a challenge for midlife women looking for a relationship today while juggling work and family obligations. Eliminating obstacles is really important.

1. Aside from logistic issues of time and limited opportunity to bump into someone there are other obstacles like self-confidence. It’s been potentially a long time since the dating game. How does a woman get herself back into the game?
2. We can get a lot of self- identity from our work- and we all know how much time we spend there. How can a woman define herself beyond work?
3. What are some of the challenges your clients (smart, successful executive and professional women) face in their love life and relationships? More importantly, how do they overcome them?

1. How does a woman create more balance or better yet, prioritize caring for herself?
2. How do you define extreme self-care and how does it relate to relationships? What do you mean by attracting love from the inside out?

Tips Nicole shares in this episode:

• Keep your word to yourself
• Ask yourself, Are you hiding behind work, or travel, or the kitchen remodel …
• Act “As If”
• The “great things about me” exercise
• Paint the picture 

Reach Nicole at:

DatingWithGrace.me

Where you can get her book: Up Close and Personal 

Leave a question at:

Flippingfifty.com/podcast

Please leave a rating at:

iTunes 

Getting and keeping fitness & metabolism after 50 are challenging before you figure out the tools you were given in the last few decades don’t serve you anymore. There are three pillars, or balls you’ve got to juggle in order to make it all work for you. In this episode I share all three and give you examples of each pillar. They each play a big part in your metabolism after 50.

The 3 Pillars:

• Hormone-Balancing exercise
• Joint-friendly exercise
• Mindset mastery

Hormone balancing exercise can look very different than the exercise you did in your 30s, or even the exercise you think you need to do now. Whether you’re exercising or you’re just wasting energy feeling guilty because you’re not exercising, this pillar is so crucial.

No two women going through peri-menopause, menopause, or post menopause need the exact same exercise. We’ve all got different sign and symptoms that leave the clues about what kind of exercise you specifically need and when you need it. You may be one of the women who need to stop exercising for a short hormone reset.

Your fitness and energy will respond positively if you’re listening to signs and symptoms. If you’re fighting your way through it instead of responding to your own needs you’ll potentially slow your metabolism. I share the hormones responsible for that inside the episode. Metabolism after 50 isn’t all about more exercise and less food, in fact, it’s the opposite.

Joint-friendly exercise is a must for most women (and men) flipping 50. Even if you have no major complaints right now you’re likely very aware that you want to stay active and pain-free. I share a list of joint-friendly favorites in the show that the metabolism after 50 whether you’re starting or an athlete. The thing is you’ve got to go through that list since there’s no one-size fits all.

Mindset is last but oh so important and not least! Mindset in fact, is likely the hardest thing you’ll tackle in changing your habits so that you can change your metabolism after 50 for the better.

 Resources mentioned:

Take the You Still Got It, Girl quiz

Watch the Flipping 50 TV episodes for joint-friendly exercise

If you’ve got more than 20 lbs to lose watch

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• Just click “view on iTunes”
• Then click on “ratings and reviews”
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Thank you so much!

If your digestion is off you're not going to feel like moving your body more. Simple as that. Here's how to get moving if you're constipated, or get more regular if you're unpredictable, or reduce bloating and gas.

Digestion can go wrong a lot of ways. The biggest digestive issue for women in midlife is constipation. They aren't talking about it. Not with their doctors, their spouses, friends or trainers, but it's limiting their life. So if that's true for you, there's help. 

I'm sharing some popular content from a blog post last week for those of you who have more time to listen on the go than read. In the blog I share links to several products that I love, and those I share with you I receive a small commission if you use my link to try them yourself. 

You can find the links in the blog post here. 

#1 Magnesium

Magnesium is one of the most frequent micronutrient deficiencies for women. It’s a powerhouse for health though! It helps you relax, and improves sleep. It aids a thriving metabolism and prevents headaches. It also helps with constipation. We’ve got an RDA of 400 mg but RDAs were designed to prevent disease, not necessarily to help you thrive in 2018. A number of things can also deplete you of magnesium, meaning you really need more all the way around.

Even if you’ve got a multivitamin with magnesium, an evening (with dinner) magnesium supplement can help you sleep and help elimination in the morning. If you start with 200 or 250 mg you can test that for a few days and double that for another three days to find your best spot. It’s a “to tolerance” kind of micronutrient.

If a bath in Epsom salt appeals to you more, that may work too. That method is probably best for sleep while getting into your gut will help more with digestion.

#2 Fiber

Pop Quiz:

1. Do you know how many grams of fiber you should get daily?
2. Do you know how many grams of fiber you get daily?

If your digestion isn't optimal, it’s not working. Let’s look at increasing. Start by knowing what your average intake is now. Then add 5 grams to that and stay there for a week. Then add 5 more to that and stay there for a week. 

You don’t want harsh fiber supplements that come from one source of fiber. Your body is used to eating a plate or bowl of food, getting fiber from a variety of sources. Flipping 50 Fiber Boost pulls fiber from cranberries, apples, flax and a total of 5 real food sources so it’s just like nature would do it.

But if you’re traveling, time crunched, your older parents are not preparing full meals for themselves, Fiber Boost is easy to stir into a smoothie, or a soup, or any drink for a quick fiber boost. A serving is 4 grams, or I’ll add a more generous scoop. My breakfast smoothie has between 15 and 20 grams of fiber alone!

The recommended is 21 grams for women over 50. The average American gets 15. Paleo/cavemen ate 135 grams a day. Shoot for 35-50 grams especially if you have significant weight to lose.

#3 Water

Fiber, Metamucil, laxitives… nothing is going to work without adequate water. So look at your water intake. A family member recently told me she was drinking 4-5 glasses a day. Not enough. Clearly. If you increase fiber you must increase water too!

My mom has a hard time drinking more water. I’ve got a few suggestions. Sparkling water with a little stevia or fruit added to make it more appealing. More soups. Then there’s one more secret weapon and that‘s bone broth.

Kettle & Fire bone broth has become a new passion of mine! I find myself drinking it because it takes so good! I’m sending my mom a care package! Especially in cooler months it’s a great addition to her afternoon or go-with item for a meal that also adds protein –something I’m sure she’s not getting enough of either!

#4 Digestive Enzyme

 Significant literature exists about the reduction of digestive enzymes as we age. By 75 there’s a theory that digestive enzymes are reduced to a very low percent of what we had in our 20s.

 If you’re eating under stress frequently, you also may not have the digestive enzymes that help you breakdown food beneficially even in your 50s.

 You’re probably going to want to target relief and getting regular first, then once you do help yourself avoid issues in the future and start absorbing all the goodness in foods you eat by giving your digestive enzymes a boost.

 Another is bone broth. Again, it’s a solution to Kettle & Fire is also more delicious, filling, and stops cravings dead. My favorite is Mushroom & Chicken.

#5 Probiotic

 Balance your good and bad gut bacteria by taking a probiotic. You can try yogurt with active cultures. I know it was recommended for my mom by her doctor. But we’d found that she did better without gluten, wheat, and dairy. A probiotic is another pill but you can also find it in powder form and it mixes into water easily.

 If you (or your parents) take prescription medications or over-the-counter meds regularly they can harm the good/bad bacteria balance in the gut. So a probiotic is probably a good idea.

#6 Fat

I’m going to take a stab and guess that many older generation adults don’t get adequate healthy fats as they age. Using a high quality oil can be a big help in lubricating from the inside out. Skin, hair, brain health and internal organs all need fat as we age.

Since olive oil is not all we think it is, and coconut oil is still a flavor favorite but missing monounsaturated fat, I’ve switched to avocado oil for 90% of my cooking.

I love the taste and go through a bottle every couple weeks! I’m a part of the avocado oil club! You can have your wine!

#7 Exercise

Then shall we address the obvious at this fitness site? I realize you may not feel like moving a lot if you feel “full” inside or bloated. Start one or two of these things already mentioned and start walking. Even that will help. Then target your core. Strong core muscles will help you move things through your system faster.

A few simple things to do in case you can’t do more vigorous core training:

• Sit in a chair away from the back and move your knees as if you’re marching. Go slowly so you have to use your core to maintain your upright position.
• Use an exercise band around your thighs just above knees. Sitting in the chair with feet together open and close your knees against resistance of the band.
• Standing and side step with the band just above knees. Go 4 to one side and back the other way. Then try six, then eight.
• If you can lie on the floor, try starting with stabilization exercises in this video. For a more progressive beginner, intermediate, and advanced set try The Flat Abs Better Back dvd.

You'll find all the resources mentioned today in the blog here.

I'd be grateful if you left a rating in iTunes! 

Is your skin care making you fat? Hormone disruptors hide in a lot of beauty products, which isn't pretty at all. 

Eating and exercise are obvious ways to tackle the belly fat that hormone imbalance can cause. Sleep and stress are understandable. Are you sure about your skincare routine and those products you're putting on your skin by 9am most mornings? Abby Jean from Annmarie Skincare is my guest in this episode. 

Whether you're a minimalist or you love your girly products you're going to want to listen to the pearls Abby shared inside this episode. From fine lines to breakouts, a #youstillgotitgirl can have a number of needs and we talk about them all! 

Abby is a Licensed Esthetician, as well as Wholesale Account Manager for Annmarie Skin Care. Spoiler alert, Annmarie Skin care generously give a full size trio of products to our Flipping 50TV participants and I do get a small commission on products you buy with my link. I only share products I use and love with you though and I just want to be transparent about it. 

For women that often involves many products during the course of one day - already a dozen in the hour getting ready in the morning!

On average a woman uses 12-14 skin care products per day and up to 500 chemicals. Even if an ingredient is listed last on the label if you’re consuming it frequently it adds up to a negative cumulative effect on your body and health. 

• Parabens
• Fragrance
• Phthalates
• Oxybenzone

How to Improve Your Skin Care

Start by flipping your most often used items or those that have the most coverage:

• lotion
• fragrance
• cleanser
• make up

Skin care questions we answer in this episode:

What are some harmful ingredients found in personal care products that can affect our hormones?

How do you care for skin that is suddenly both blemish-prone again and is experiencing signs of aging?

Oils are feared by many people with blemish-prone skin – and I have to admit I was one of them - why does Annmarie Skin Care have a primary focus on using oils for moisturizing the skin?

I want all our listeners to get outdoors as much as possible, to bike, walk, swim… and all those elements- can wreak havoc!

How do you calm the look of temporary redness or blotchiness that is caused by harsh elements, exercise, or even chlorine exposure? 

The answer to this question is:

Cold compresses – a drop or two of calming essential oils (chamomile, geranium, lavender). Heads up Flipping 50, listener, this is a really common question I'm asked. So if it's you, too, you're not alone!

Is there anything special you suggest for sun protection? Are there things to be cautious of or to seek?

Abby answers: look for zinc oxide as an ingredient, and reapply hourly if you’re in the sun, water, or sweating.

Because there are so many different skin needs Annmarie Skin Care offers different products to choose from: 

• Anti-aging facial oil (Debra's favorite)
• Normal
• Oily
• Sensitive (I thought I would need this: they're all pretty gentle!) 

Want to try something new to give your skin a boost and your hormone-balance a head start? 

Get your free gift (with shipping and handling) by choosing from the anti-aging, normal, oily, or sensitive skin options at:

https://www.annmariegianni.com/debraatkinson/skindetoxsamples

You're going to love it and your skin. 

Resources mentioned on the show:

https://www.thinkdirtyapp.com/

You can download right to your phone so when you’re shopping you know what you’re getting.

https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ 

You can enter a product to see it’s score and how it stacks up.

Got younger girls in the family? Share these apps and get them started right!

Please leave a rating In iTunes:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-flipping-50-show/id903871206?mt=2

Are you too struggling with hot flashes, night sweats, or menopause weight gain? Have you been told by a doctor, trainer, or nutritionist that it’s just age and a phase? My guest to day is Denise Stegall, Healthy Living Coach.

Denise has years of experience working in restaurants focused on nutrition and menu creation. She’s attended classed at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and the New Orleans Cooking Experience and most recently the professional plant-based cooking course through Rouxbe.com.

The core of Denise’s health coaching is based on three principles: Eat Real Food, Make Good Choices, and Be Accountable.

Denise is almost Flipping 50 … here to share some nuggets and her own story… which is the reason she and I met. ..she reached out about a new project she had with this passion burning behind it… to help women struggling to find the answers for themselves … potentially also frustrated by the lack of real answers even in the overwhelming options – what I frequently call “infobesity.”

Denise created the Have It All Summit: Optimize Your Health, Find Balance and Love the Life You Live to help other women juggling it all and doing it all start enjoying it all. 

Some pieces of Denise's story:

• She started getting hot flashes at age 37. She was told by a much older, male GYN that that my age it “just a phase”.
• Looked on line and there was so much information, misinformation and lots of pill, potions, cream: You name it.
• Fast forward 10 years and stiil on the pill, still taking Herbal Equilibrium, hot flashes getting worse, unexplained weight gain. Even with my knowledge and education I am often at a loss as to what I should do. So much more misinformation, “ pseudo experts and products that claim they have the answer. 

Let’s talk a little about the summit you’re doing and what led to the birth of that project?

Questions we answer:

1. What is the “Have It All” Summit?
2. What is its purpose?
3. Why is this series important to you?
4. Who do are some of the experts on the summit. What do you discuss wit them
5. The tag line “Optimize Your Health, Find Balance and Love the Life You Live may seem out of reach to some of our listeners … hopefully not the Flipping 50 followers! Why do you think it’s possible?

Link for Have It All Summit

http://haveitallsummit.com/datkinson 

I'd love to hear from you! And thanks for your rating in iTunes. 

Have you had a doctor told you to exercise more and eat less? Or a trainer told you to accept that you’re getting older, or possibly accuse you of eating more than you’re saying or not doing the exercise between sessions you said you are? Have you had a nutritionist tell you that based on your calories in and calories out you should be losing weight?

Register here: http://haveitallsummit.com/datkinson 

Some of the guests on the summit include:

Katie Mae of Plantzst.com

Christie Miller of EatTrainWin.com

LuAnn Buechler of http://luannb.com

Are you motivated? Do you think it takes discipline and willpower to get fit after 50? Do you think you simply don't have it?

Do you have clarity around these two things: 

1. what exactly you want/want to change

2. how to get it

Women notoriously have a challenge stopping to put themselves and their own wishes first. They say they want to but when they really have the chance it's hard! You've been ignoring or stifling what you want for too long! 

Then, even if you do resurrect those personal desires and have a vision of what you'd love life to look and feel like, do you have a clear path to get it? 

With infobesity and information overwhelm, it's a challenge to know who to follow and what path to take. If you know, like, and trust someone who can help you're way ahead! I'm honored if I'm one of those people. And yes, I can help you sort through real and real for you right now at midlife in the midst of hormones and stress. 

Then there are two other things to consider. 

How much energy do you have to carry out the tasks that if you find clarity on what to do, have to actually be done? You may not have the right chemistry to do it. You may need to commit to nutrition or sleep in order to take action. Action takers have energy, even before they begin to make changes. 

But it's just a matter of habits. No one is born with good habits. They acquire them one by one and so can you.

How urgent or necessary is this for you? Do you think it's really important or matters that you show up 100% for yourself, for your family or for work or someone else? If you don't you're going to have a hard time. 

If you want more clarity on what to do to burn fat after 50, I invite you to my free online webinar Fit-U:

https://www.flippingfifty.com/fit-u-webinar

I'll teach you:

• how fat burning is unique later in life
• what hormones and stress have to do with it
• how you can lose fat at any age
• what increases your fat storage
• how old science has been replaced and what you think you're doing right may be hurting your fat loss

Please leave a rating in iTunes:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-flipping-50-show/id903871206?mt=2

Better Exercise Results Does Not Mean More Exercise  

Wouldn’t we all like better exercise results? Traditionally that meant more. More time, more repetitions, more sets, more speed, more something.

The question isn’t whether you’re exercising or not. It’s whether what you’re doing is really making a difference. 

It’s so much like running a business that I can’t help but compare business and fitness.

The question for a business owner isn’t whether your busy or not, it’s whether you’re spending your time in the best activities. Are you prioritizing your time optimally?

I’ve observed so many times – in myself – and in other managers and fitness professionals a lot of busy work. There are people who will work constantly and they’re working hard. The problem is that they don’t see clearly what their time should be spent doing to make them more productive, and not just busy.

I don’t believe in time management and… I’m betting you’re the same. By the time you reach midlife you realize that time doesn’t bow down to our management of it.

We can only manage the energy we have. We can manage the focus and ability to concentrate.

When I work with women entrepreneurs or admins we don’t focus on the list of things that has to get done. We focus on the biggest priority items – those that get move the needle the most. When we’ve got them defined then it’s a matter of defining the best time for focus, concentration, and uninterrupted attention on those tasks. 

Any of us can be busy. We can be well intentioned. But if we were just in action without a plan, if you weren’t the boss of your own business or department you’d probably be gone soon, right?

What if someone were paying you based on outcome and transformation? And at the end of the month, or quarter you hadn’t made any changes in the bottom line? (and maybe you’re exhausted!)

Sometimes that’s acceptable if… there is some evidence of prerequisite or actions that had to happen first before the big outcome in place.

So let’s look at your fitness activities and outcomes as if you were running the business of you. (you are)

What transformation do you want?

If I’m the business owner or an investor in a business, I’m concerned with the profit not just the total numbers.

Now, all that said, let’s make sure we’re on the same page. I’m going to go off on a little tangent here.… we’re only talking about businesses that have an important mission statement. There’s a need and there’s demand and the business is serving people in a way that changes the quality of life. That’s the goal of Flipping 50, so I want to be totally transparent here, I am running a business, and yes it’s because I have purpose and a mission that gets me up every day. I also have a family and responsibilities to them and a life to live that I love.

Bottom line is important. Profit margin is more important. I can’t be spending just as much as I’m making. That just isn’t sustainable. The more I make, the more good I can do with it by hiring other women, by supporting the fitness industry with conference presentations that remove me from being available in my business.

Where do you come in? If I can transition back out of this tangent…

Well, first if you’re in a business, or starting one, you need to embrace the power of the good you can do if you’re doing well and wise in your business.

Second, your body is your business.

Your energy and well being are your profit. The confidence you gain if you look and feel your best are your profit.

Women – in general – not all, have a hard time with this profit. Just like money isn’t bad when it’s used for good, feeling good – looking good- spending time to care for yourself isn’t bad if it’s used for good!

 Weight though is not your real bottom line. Your body composition and your energy, ability to focus, concentrate, and physically do all the things you both need and want to do are a better profit margin. Signs and symptoms of good health now and for your future include

• the quality and quantity of your sleep
• your digestion – a lack of gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea
• ability to handle stress
• energy to do all you want to do
• lack of cravings
• a good appetite and good satiety
• glowing skin
• muscle tone and definition
• you’re at your ideal size and weight
• lack of medications
• no addictions – sugar, caffeine, exercise, alcohol

 Take the quiz… of healthy habits of women who’ve flipped 50 successfully… it’s on the home page at flippingfifty.com

It’s simple pdf… not interactive and electronic… but for you to do now… then take again after a few weeks when you’ve begun to focus on those items 

The reason you do something may not be at all the reason you think you do something.

What are you really hungry for?

Emotional eating…

Instead of a real desire for sugar

Craving social engagement …

Instead of addicted to some particular food

Recreating a memory….

Instead of really enjoying a particular food

Exercise…

Weight training with biggest muscle groups:

Legs

Chest muscles

Back muscles

Compound exercises:

• Squats
• Lunges
• Ball bridges and ball hamstring curls
• Instead of isolated exercises

Machine weights are good – but not all of them

• Seated chest press
• Seated row
• Lat pulldown
• Squat or leg press

Free weights – demonstrated in all of the Flipping 50 videos

• Chest Press
• Bent Over Row
• Bent Arm Pullover
• Squats
• Lunges

What’s not going to help your metabolism, or help you go sleeveless –

Going right for the arm exercises if you’re not eating well, sleeping well, and first doing major muscle group exercises 

So at the end of this episode, I want to challenge you.

1. to be sure you’re comfortable with your own health profit margin
2. to spend time only where it moves the needle most for you right now… and if you don’t know what that is… it’s time to find out.

If you’re exhausted and can’t lose weight… it may be that you need a special program temporarily targeting your adrenals and getting you back on your feet

 If you want to change your body composition to lose belly fat… you don’t want to lose weight… did you know that most of the very things we do to lose weight backfire and put more weight (more fat weight) on us. 

So I want you to go to the quiz first and foremost! Take that and determine if you need to make changes to put the business of your body first.

Then if you’re a fast –action taker… and you’re listening to this before Feb 1 2018 you can still get the After 50 fitness formula for women, my signature course and the bonus Bone Health mini course for a savings of $50 …. The rate on this combo goes up Feb 1- and believe me it’s worth every penny of the new rate… but my mission is to help as many women as possible.

 If you’re not able to do private coaching- which would be the most amazing direct way to your goals and your highest priority exercise, exercise nutrition, and lifestyle habits, then this is the next best thing.

I’ll put a link to the course in the show notes.

I’ll also add a link about coaching in the notes so if it is right for you – you’re a busy business woman who wants to focus on breaking through old habits and understand the best way to reach fitness goals after 50 .. you can see how it works, who I am, and apply for a coaching spot.

 Resources:

The Quiz

The After 50 Fitness Formula for Women Course

In this episode my guest is your body, sharing information about fat loss.

• I really am lazy and I don’t like carrying this extra fat around any more than you do
• It’s not what you burn during exercise that matters for fat loss
• When you exercise more and eat less I get confused
• When I’m confused I’m going to protect you by storing fat
• When I need to shed weight under stress I shed muscle, fat, and water
• I can’t function very well without consuming fat
• I definitely can’t function without water so one of the things I have to shut down right away is your metabolism
• Those processed chemicals confuse me and prevent fat loss
• Every diet trick you ever learned about losing weight was wrong (like eat for volume – not for nutrients, like calories in calories out is what matters, like if you’re hungry it means you’re losing weight, like salads are best for weight loss, like cutting out carbs will result in rapid fat loss, like the scale showing weight loss means success)
• I am so resilient that I can get by on nearly no food for days and still not lose fat
• It’s true I lose muscle with age which makes me fatter even if I don’t gain fat … but only if you don’t do anything to prevent it: lift weights twice a week, eat more protein for two first steps – that will help a lot!
• I really don’t process protein very well so keep it coming
• The less active I am the more you need protein
• I prefer to move every day all day instead of exercising so hard for an hour – I really can’t do both so if you exhaust me in the gym it probably will backfire on you and your fat loss goals
• Hours of weight training don’t really make me any more fit or more lean than reaching fatigue with a few sets in a few minutes
• It cracks me up when you think you can tone your arms after not paying attention to my major muscle groups for years
• If I don’t tell you I’m hungry beginning maybe at 3 or more hours after and for sure around 4-5 hours after my last meal, something’s wrong
• When I’m hungry, feed me good food
• When I’m thirsty you waited too long to give me pure unfiltered water
• When I’m tired I need to rest better
• I love a challenge and respond by getting stronger, faster, and having more endurance… if you give me the food and rest I need to do it
• Any of those other models of aging you see that have put on fat with age is just because they didn’t have the right information…
• If you start to take better care of me right now no matter how old I am I will respond positively with more energy, better mood, better sleep and ultimately with fat loss so we can have a good time.

 If you’re struggling with fat loss listeners to this episode can take advantage of Fit-U at 50% off the regular rate right now during the Flip Your New Year special

at flippingfifty.com/fit-u

After 50, you have less wiggle room. Before fat loss can happen you need to lose old thoughts about dieting and exercise. You may need to lose toxins stored in your fat, and reduce inflammation.

I walk you through all of it and how to exercise optimally for fat loss not just tired and sore; how to spare muscles loss, and feel better so you can sleep well, be more resilient, and have more stable energy. When you start caring for yourself you get on the path to permanent weight loss with lifestyle changes not a diet.

Foods you used to think are “healthy” may be causing your fat storage and preventing your fat burning. While you’ll give up a handful of them temporarily… you’ll have the opportunity to experience four different recipe books full of foods that are easy to prepare, simple to find, and taste wonderful. Plus, I’ll be there every week live with you responding to questions in the private Facebook group – and during the week jumping in daily to respond to questions. 

Weight and fat loss results are unique to every individual going through the program. Decades-long habits and thoughts that have increased inflammation and toxic storage won’t change overnight but you will experience more energy, more clear thinking, and better sleep (if you need to improve it) within weeks.

You also will resist. Change is hard! I don’t ignore that – I coach you through it so that you can experience fat loss. 

Let’s talk specifics so you can start some fat loss enhancing habits and stop some fat loss inhibiting habits today!

5 FLIPS That Boost fat loss: 

• Matcha (before exercise = most, and any time)
• Intervals 1-2 times a week
• Weight training 2 times a week to fatigue
• More activity all day
• Appropriate Exercise nutrition (not eating before low and slow/carb before intervals) 

6 FLIPS That Stop fat storage:

• Hydrate
• Sleep quality, then quantity if you’re short on need
• Sugar Elimination – natural and artificial
• Avoid wine/alcohol on an empty stomach (and temporarily altogether)
• Eat carbs in the right amount at the right time
• Reduce your overall stress load (sauna, toxic exposure, exercise, unprocessed diet)

Resources and Links from today’s show:

GET A FREE COPY of HOT, NOT BOTHERED in your inbox in minutes: flippingfifty.com/hotnotbothered

Secure your Fit-U registration for 50% off at flippingfifty.com/fit-u in this LIMITED TIME OFFER.

Please leave a rating in iTunes! Thank you!

Kim Acedo, MS, CHWC works exclusively with women in midlife who have been putting their health and self-care on the back burner for most of their lives and now in their midlife years say “It’s MY turn to take care of ME!”

Through her virtual coaching programs, Kim empowers her clients to build confidence, resilience, hope, self-motivation, and make lasting changes to their health and well‐being.

She partners with her clients to get “unstuck” and discover goals and strategies based on their core values and motivators in order to bring about the healthy lifestyle they desire.

Kim has a Master’s degree in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Exercise Science and is a Certified Health & Wellness Coach through Wellcoaches School of Coaching.

Kim and I had a conversation and we invite you eavesdrop on us. We have a lot in common and some distinguishing factors as well. Kim, similar to me, was a personal trainer for 15 years (most of her clients were women in midlife) before becoming a virtual health and self-care coach.

She doesn't prescribe exercise to her current clients. In fact, she doesn't prescribe anything to her clients like she did when she was a trainer (meal plans, workouts, etc.). Unlike me, who actively coaches private clients above and below the shoulders.

We both have roots in the physical and yet recognize that the above the shoulders conditioning…what I call the most important 6-inches to get in shape – is the most important part and start of change.

Kim and I compare and contrast our personal habits. We’re giving a behind-the-scenes peek at coaches.

This is wake-up-to-bedtime with two women’s wellness coaches. What’s a healthy work day-in-the-life, and what are our challenges? We dive into habits we love and hate for ourselves, and how we have adopted them or work we know we still personally have to do.

We both readily acknowledge that knowing science of fitness, and the psychology of change, we’re still both very much in the boat with you.

What’s working:

• Boundaries on most productive/creative time
• Rituals and habits that create structure = freedom

What’s not:

• Not scheduling exercise
• One-more-thing syndrome instead of a hard stop
• Self-worth by accomplishments and productivity

How about you?

• What’s a must for you?
• What’s off limits/out of bounds?
• When does exercise happen for you? Is that ideal?
• What’s your morning routine?
• What’s your nighttime routine?

Connect with Kim:

Website: 

www.TransformationWellnessForWomen.com

Social media: 

Facebook page: www.facebook.com/TransformationWellnessForWomen

Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/HealthAndSelfCareForWomenInMidlife

Thank you for leaving a rating (and subscribe!) in iTunes!

If you’d like to be a guest on Flipping 50 as either an expert or to get coaching contact Debra. [email protected]