5 Step Guide to Change Your

Lifestyle to ReKindle Metabolism! 

HI, I’m Chrys Kub, Integrative Physical Therapist, Certified Yoga Therapist and Teacher, Personal Trainer and most of all…woman post menopause…! 

As a personal trainer, the #1 complaint I hear from women over 50 is that they are unable to get rid of the dreaded “muffintop” weight gain.  I get it!  I experienced the same problem myself during COVID.  I noticed the weight creeping up around my midsection this past winter..and it kept happening even though I was strength training twice a week AND either walking or doing light cardio a couple of times a week.  I was eating healthy.. I thought.

In women, during peri and post menopause, the old standard of eat less, work out more doesn’t really work anymore to control our weight distribution.  I wasn’t “fat”, but I didn’t like the weight that was being distributed around my middle.  I was becoming frustrated since my workouts and supposedly healthy eating were not making a change.It seemed I could not get rid of the muffintop and I could not lose weight after menopause!

 So I did some intensive research and based on that research, I changed 5 things about what I was doing with my lifestyle and workouts.  In 6 weeks, I had lost the 10 lbs I didn’t like and now I am keeping it off.

My big takeaway was increased awareness.   It is not only about what we eat, and how we exercise; it also is affected by our female hormones, which around and after menopause play havoc with our metabolism!  I had to take into account my stage in life (turning 60) and how my individual metabolism was going to respond.

I changed 5 things about what I was doing with my lifestyle and workouts and had great success.  Then I started counseling my clients to do the same, and watched them rekindle their metabolism.    But also, something else happened! There was a MINDSET shift.

I know what you are thinking..either “I already have a strong mindset…and it hasn’t helped” or “Mindset doesn’t work”.. But I am here to tell you it does… and it is the strongest tool you have to start empowering yourself to not only get rid of that “muffintop”, but also tackle other challenges you are facing as you age…self perception, how you live your passions, rediscovering yourself.

This is YOUR TIME… if you are in your 50’s and above, you probably have raised your kids and established yourself in your career.  You now have more free time and probably more disposable income to pursue your life’s goals more easily.  Or perhaps you are trying to decide how to live this second chapter of your life..

I have tackled these same challenges and am here to help you.  But first things first…let’s tackle that sleepy metabolism!

5 step Guide to Rekindle Your Metabolism!

STEP 1: Increase the frequency and intensity of strength training.

 I know,  I know.. this sounds like work!  But it really is about training smarter… If you are already strength training, be sure your workouts are effective and intense enough to actually improve your muscle mass.  No, you will not turn into a muscle bound woman (unless you want to.. and that takes a different approach).  Increase your strength training workouts to at least 30 minutes 3 times a week.  Train one heavy day, one regular day and one HIIT weight circuit day.

Personally, even though I am a personal trainer, I hired a personal trainer to be sure I had good technique and was getting the most out of my workouts.  The workouts were never more than 30-45 minutes.  Let me just say that having a trainer was key…my workouts were much harder.

STEP 2:  Tweak your cardio workouts. 

Add some cardio every day… Now that does not mean run or even walk vigorously every day.  Just be sure you MOVE every day.  The step counters work well in ensuring you get at least 10,000 steps a day.  At least 2 days, a week do some type of HIIT workout.  So you can count the HIIT circuit training as one of those workouts, then add in another interval training workout for at least 20 minutes (5 minute warm up and 5 minute cooldown).  No need to do hours of cardio, in fact if you do, you trigger a stress response that we do not have the hormones to deal with…too much cardio raises cortisol levels and tells your body to store fat around the middle!  So, stick to moderate cardio a couple days a week and some consistent movement the other days.

 STEP 3:  MOVE Every Day

I started counting steps with an app.  This ensured that I was getting in at least 10,000 steps a day.  A great way to exercise without increasing stress on the body.  One recommendation in the research is to walk an hour a day…I say,  just be sure you are moving an hour a day..especially if you have a sedentary job.  News FLASH…you don’t need to do tons of cardio, but you do need to move EVERY DAY. 

STEP 4:  Take a rest day (or two)..

If you are doing strength training 3 days a week and cardio another day…be sure on the other days you are moving for sure (try to get in those steps).  But give your body time to relax..  This lowers the cortisol levels.  I find on rest days I take long walks and listen to podcasts or meditations.  This allows me to reset and focus.  Remember, unless you are an athlete or sports person training for a particular sport or hobby, you don’t need to exercise as much as we used to think.  Especially as we age, we need decrease the stressors on our body (and mind).  Increased cortisol means increased muffintop!   Use these days to include some mindfulness practices.  Start studying meditation, listen to music or just take some quiet time every day.  The benefits will expand into your entire life!

STEP 5:  Awareness practices

I used an app (FitBit) to at least start documenting everything I was eating.  I was eating healthy, but noticed that I happened to be eating a LOT of chips every day….I didn’t realize it!  I cut out the chips and started watching my portion size.  Then I incorporated more awareness of what I was eating, not to diet, but to really see what I was eating and why.  One program that I use is recommended for women in post and peri menopause by Naturopath Dr. Jade Teta.  Protein Shake in the am, salad for lunch and balanced meal for dinner.  (proteins, carbs and fat)  No calorie counting.  I also added a couple of days of intermittent fasting for 14-16 hours.  That is not that hard.. eat dinner by 7 and drink your protein shake at 10 or 11 the next am.. you could even skip the protein shake on those days.

 These simple changes to your lifestyle can be key in helping you rekindle and reset your metabolism.   Now this program should be individualized to your needs.  It is important that you don’t feel “denied” food…that just adds more stress.  Each person is different.  You may need more stress reduction techniques (yoga and meditation anyone?) Others may need more nutritional guidance.  (Check out Moderation365 with JillFit).

The bottom line is , you don’t have to be frustrated, but you do need to take into consideration the time of life you are in.. the first step is awareness of what you are doing now, and finding out what needs to change.

If you are interested in attending a retreat that helps women over 50 tackle these types of issues, mindset, fitness, nutrition, navigating midlife and beyond, check out SoulSisterWomenRetreats.  All the info is at FitYogaTherapy.com.  We will give you a personalized yoga and fitness program so when you leave the retreat, you will have a plan in place, based on your needs…not some program for a 20 something millineal..No CrossFit here ya’ll!  Come join us,  I would love to have you. 

Warmly,

Chrys

For more frequent tips on wellness and fitness over 50 checkout my IG page ChrysKubFitYogaTherapy  and you are cordially invited to my Private Facebook Group!

SoulSister Women Tribe:  A Tribe of Like Minded Women in their 50’s and beyond. Here is a safe space to Re Discover Yourself through conversation and sharing of ideas and tools.