The Flipping 50 Show

Did you know hidden infections may start from your mouth to your gut?

What’s happening in your mouth could be the missing link behind your fatigue, hormone changes, or stubborn gut issues.

My Guest:

Dr. Michelle Jorgensen is a former traditional dentist turned holistic health pioneer, who helps exhausted, health-conscious people finally feel like themselves again—by starting where health actually begins: your cells. She’s the founder of Living Well with Dr. Michelle and author of the upcoming book by the same name, which reveals how to decode your symptoms and give your body exactly what it needs to heal, thrive, and stay energized—without the fads, overwhelm, or guesswork. If you’re tired of chasing health trends and still not feeling better, this conversation is for you.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• [00:14:12] Why gut health won’t improve unless we address imbalances in the oral microbiome?

• [00:20:28] What are the differences between a traditional dentist and a biological dentist? Why consider making a change?

• [00:24:13] What might oral symptoms (cavities or jaw pain) reveal about digestion, hormones, or immune system?

• [00:28:56] What do you recommend to those who don’t have access to insurance?

• [00:29:50] How do biological dentists decide whether to save or pull a tooth? Why could that decision affect your whole-body health?

• [00:30:57] In Living Well with Dr. Michelle, you introduce the Cell Well Model—how does oral health fit into that model? What happens at the cellular level when we ignore our mouths?

• [00:33:41] In your book, can you explain how someone’s season might influence the way they care for their mouth? How do oral symptoms help reveal someone’s season?

The Hidden Link From Your Mouth To Your Gut

Traditional Dentist vs. Biological Dentist

• Traditional dentistry focuses on fixing teeth mechanically: drilling, filling, and crowns.

• Biological dentistry looks at the whole body connection — teeth, gums, microbiome, and systemic health.

Oral Health as a Mirror of Overall Health

• Root canals leave dead tissue that fosters bacteria and chronic low-grade infection, linking to autoimmune issues, heart disease, cancer, and stroke.

• Mercury fillings release toxins that affect the brain, hormones, and gut.

Mouth–Gut Connection

• The mouth is the start of the digestive system.

• Hidden infections in gums, root canals, or extraction sites can disrupt the gut microbiome and overall digestion.

Connect with Dr. Michelle:

• Website - Living Well with Dr. Michelle

• Instagram - @livingwellwithdrmichelle

• Facebook - Living Well with Dr. Michelle

• TikTok - @livingwellwithdrmichelle

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Previous Episode - 3 Steps to Improve Cardio Fitness and Longevity (at any age)

• Next Episode - Riding Tandem: One Couple, One Mission, One Bike From Mexico to Alaska

• More Like This - Oral Health Changes with Hormones: Watch Your Mouth!

Resources:

• Join the Hot, Not Bothered! Challenge to learn why timing matters and why what works for others is not working for you.

• Don’t know where to start? Book your Discovery Call with Debra. Leave this session with insight into exactly what to do right now to make small changes, smart decisions about your exercise time and energy. 

If you’re interested in boosting your cardiovascular fitness, I’ve got three steps for you to do. 

Your cardiovascular fitness - VO2 max - is the most powerful predictor of longevity. Together with your lower body strength, they will tell the story of your future. 

What is VO2 max?

• Oxygen consumed in milliliters per kilogram per minute.
• Strongest predictor of longevity, alongside lower body strength.
• VO2 Max and muscle mass peaks typically at age 25, with studies suggesting an average annual reduction of about 1% after.

Increasing your VO2 max can significantly increase your longevity. It can reduce all-cause mortality by 10-25%. Just going from low to above-average fitness levels can reduce mortality risk by 60-70% over a decade. 

The 3 Steps to Improve Cardio Fitness

1. Long slow aerobic exercise 

• Walking, hiking, biking, swimming.
• Work just below threshold (can talk, slightly breathy).
• 80% of the time will be spent here.
  20% should be spent doing HIIT or strength training.

2. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) 

• 10-15% improvement in 5-10 weeks
• 15–30 seconds of breathless effort (sprinting effect).
• Breathless in 30 seconds or less.

3. Strength training

• Improves muscle, may enhance your body composition or weight 

Improving both your fitness (oxygen delivery and use) and reducing weight means your ml/kg/min will go up as you consume more oxygen with less body weight .. and even if you don’t lose weight your muscle is metabolically active and consumes oxygen while fat doesn’t. 

So let’s come back to the value of VO2 for reducing all cause mortality. 

A modest increase of 3.5 ml/kg/min (1 MET) is all it takes to reduce all-cause mortality by up to 25%. 

How do you know your Cardio Fitness is improving? 

Short of getting a VO2 max test, you can measure in other ways: 

• Resting heart rate – first thing in morning 
• Recovery heart rate at end of interval and one minute later
• One-mile walk test

Why Muscle Still Matters?

• More muscle = higher oxygen demand → better VO2 Max.
• Fat mass doesn’t contribute to oxygen use.
• Muscle quality declines with age → requires smarter training, especially during menopause.

Watch this episode on Flipping50TV YouTube.

References: 

• Journal of American College of Cardiology. 2018, PMID: 30384883.
• Circulation. 2007, PMID: 17548726.

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Previous Episode - 80 Lb Perimenopausal Weight Loss After Corporate Burnout
• Next Episode - From Your Mouth to Your Gut: Hearing Health Whisper
• More Like This - Extended Cardio and Low Protein Equal Short Term Weight Loss

Resources: 

• Join the Hot, Not Bothered! Challenge to learn why timing matters and why what works for others is not working for you.
• Use Flipping 50 Scorecard & Guide to measure what matters with easy at-home self-assessment test you can do in minutes.
• Are you burning belly fat or burning out? Get the Menopause Fitness Guide to High-Intensity Interval Training to help you lose more fat and stay on track!

Perimenopausal weight loss may seem daunting to some. We hear so much more about perimenopausal weight gain and weight loss resistance. 

If you’ve learned diets don’t work the hard way, you’ll identify with my guest. What you may not realize is why the diet isn’t working. A whole food, healthy diet will often work for most. But it won’t work if that isn’t the problem.

My guest in this episode overcame a stressful corporate existence, and thanks in part to the pandemic, was able to leave that and 80 lbs behind. Here is how she achieved her 80lb perimenopausal weight loss in this episode. 

My Guest:

Terry Tateossian, 48, is a health and fitness expert, podcast host, and the Founder of THOR: The House of Rose, a wellness community for women over 40.

Terry is an ISSA certified Personal Trainer and Nutritionist, Registered Yoga Teacher, and IIN-Certified Hormone Specialist and Emotional Eating Coach. She is also the host of the podcast, ‘How Good Can It Get’. 

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• [00:04:10] Shedding over 80 lbs at 42, was this the first time you’d tried to lose weight? What had you tried before? What was different about this time? 
• [00:07:10] What was life before vs after? You have a corporate background, did that end before, during or after the weight loss? 
• [00:16:01] Any relationship changes as a result of the weight loss? 
• [00:19:46] How did habit gravity and self-identity keep you stuck at 80 lbs overweight, and how did you break free?
• [00:23:59] What was it like to let go of your corporate identity and step into a new wellness-focused life? 
• [00:28:30] What is the significance of the name THOR: the House of Rose? 

Why Diets Fail and What Actually Works in Perimenopausal Weight Loss

The Struggles

• Pregnancy weight never lost
• Tried 30 diets before age 37
• Health issues: hospitalizations for chest pain, prediabetes, PCOS, heart murmur, and more
• Coping mechanisms: alcohol, overwork, nightly binge cycles

How Terry Overcame Weight Loss

• Worked with a coach which brought awareness on patterns
• Admitted patterns and habits 
• Realized problem was stress and coping mechanisms
• Learned to ask: “Am I hungry, or am I coping?”

THOR: The House of Rose

• Retreat center in Tennessee surrounded by roses
• Represents loving and honoring the body as sacred
  • ROSE = love, divine, highest frequency flower
  • THOR = strength + femininity → union of masculine & feminine energies
• What to expect? Yoga, massage, hiking, nutrition, and coaching

Connect with Terry:

• Terry’s Website - THOR: The House of Rose
• Instagram - @how.good.can.it.get
• Spotify - How Good Can It Get

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Previous Episode - Muscle Mass and Strength Gains After Menopause How Much How Fast?
• Next Episode - 3 Steps to Improve Cardio Fitness and Longevity (at any age)
• More Like This
  • Adrenal Fatigue Talk with the Hip Hop Energy Doc, Tricia Pingel
  • Intermittent Fasting: Solution or Sabotage Emotional Eating?
  • How Emotional Eating Can Be the Hidden Reason for Weight Gain
  • Happier Hour | What Wine Time, Sober, and Sober-Minded Living Mean to Health

Resources:

• Flipping 50 Womens Retreats helps you step out of routine, challenge your body and mindset, and rediscover how you want to live midlife—supported by fitness, hormones, nutrition, and women just like you.
• Don’t know where to start? Book your Discovery Call with Debra. Leave this session with insight into exactly what to do right now to make small changes, smart decisions about your exercise time and energy. 

If you’ve ever doubted your ability to make muscle mass and strength gains after menopause, this episode is for you.

It’s not too late to gain strength and lean muscle mass can be gained at any age—even after 85.

Based on a 2024 Study on Resistance Training in Older Adults by Int. Journal of Sports Nutrition & Exercise Metabolism, here’s what happened and the results:

• Participants: 
  • 17 adults aged 65–75.
  • 12 adults aged 85+.
• Program: 
  • Duration: 12 weeks, 3x per week
  • Structure:
    1. Warm-up 
    2. 4 lower body sets
    3. 3 upper body exercises (2 sets each)
    4. Stretching
• Results:
  • Quadriceps strength increased in all participants
    • 65–75 group: 1–18% 
    • 85+ group: 6–21% 
  • 1RM leg extension increased in all participants
    • 65–75 group: 38% ± 20% 
    • 85+ group: 46% ± 14% 
  • Improvements were seen in lean mass, strength and functional activities like chair stands, gait speed, timed up-and-go.

Defining Muscle Mass and Strength Gains After Menopause

• Exercise intensity is based on decreasing repetitions to muscular fatigue. 
• Exercise volume is based on the number of sets.

Considerations for Exercise Volume in Women in Menopause

• Volume = sets x reps x weight or total weekly workload.
• Start small (1–2 sets, 2x per week if inactive). Build to 3x only once consistent.
• Balance recovery: not just alternating workout/rest days, but also factoring in life stress.
• Menopausal women may need 48–72 hours between resistance sessions, per muscle group.

For women post menopause; increasing the number of days per week to reach greater exercise volume can be problematic because of the need for balance with recovery days. We don’t mean 1 day work, 1 day rest. It can mean 1 day of high intensity work and 2 or 3 days light or moderate exercise for another type for recovery.

Start Your Strength Gains After Menopause

The beginning phases of exercise should last longer for a woman starting in her 60s or 70s. Muscle, ligaments and tendons collectively are not as resilient at 60 as they were at 20. Since most early improvements are due to neural adaptations and heavier weights don’t accelerate that, progress at a pace so you know you’ve exercised muscles but aren’t sore or uncomfortable. You’re in this for life. There’s time.

The adaptive response to resistance training is preserved even in males and females over 85.

Protein & Resistance Training

• Two drivers of muscle protein synthesis:
  • Resistance Training
  • Adequate Protein.
• For metabolic health: ~100g/day (for 160 lb woman).
• For optimal fitness: closer to 160g/day.
• Protein recommendation for a 160lb adult is 60 grams of protein day.
  Only 46% of older adults get that.

5-Step Protein & Resistance Training Process:

1. 1. Track your current protein intake.
   2. Compare with recommendations based on age, weight, activity.
   3. Identify gaps without judgment.
   4. Close the gap gradually.
   5. Set short-term goals, especially starting with breakfast protein.

Muscle Mass and Strength Gains After Menopause are Dependent On…

Relative Strength Training Power decreased significantly after the age of 50 years and was negatively and strongly associated with mobility limitations.  

Mobility & Longevity Connection

• • Strength must be paired with mobility to prevent limitations.
  • Key focus areas: ankles, hips, upper back.
  • Loss of mobility = harder to regain later.

More… much more on mobility in upcoming posts.

References: 

• Journal of Cachexia Sarcopenia and Muscle. 2021, PMID: 34216098.
• Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging. 2019, PMID: 30932132.
• International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. 2023, PMID: 37875254.

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Previous Episode - Aging with Power, (Without an Outage) with Vonda Wright
• Next Episode - 80 Lb Perimenopausal Weight Loss After Corporate Burnout
• More Like This:
  • What Is Sarcopenia and How to Avoid Sarcopenia In Menopause
  • What’s Best Total Body or Split Routine in Menopause

Resources for Strength Gains After Menopause: 

• Join the Hot, Not Bothered! Challenge to learn why timing matters and why what works for others is not working for you.
• Get the Flipping 50 STRONGER 12-week program for your at-home safe, sane, simple exercises.
• Get your lean, clean Flipping 50 Protein Powders to maintain muscle and support metabolism.

We dive into the true science and strategy behind aging with power.

We’re busting myths about menopause, metabolism, and muscle, bone and talking strategy for women over 40 who want strength without burnout. 

Know how to prevent the physical “outages” that so often follow menopause, injury, or hormonal upheaval. 

Reclaim control without burning out!! 

If you’re ready to redefine what aging looks and feels like, this conversation is your roadmap to aging with power—and joy.

My Guest:

Dr. Vonda Wright is a double-board certified orthopedic surgeon and internationally recognized authority on human performance, longevity, and women's health. The founding director of the Performance and Research Initiative for Masters Athletes (PRIMA), she has served as a physician for athletes at the University of Pittsburgh, Georgia State, the Pittsburgh and Atlanta Ballet, World Rugby, and the PGA. A highly sought after media expert, she has been featured on the Diary of a CEO, Jay Shetty, and Mel Robbins podcasts as well as the Today show, the Dr. Oz show, and in top publications including The New York Times, USA Today, and the Observer. She has authored five books, including Fitness After 40 and Guide to THRIVE. She lives with her husband, a retired two-time Stanley Cup champion, near Orlando, Florida.

Questions We Answer About Aging with Power:

• [00:06:24] How did your personal menopause experience shape your clinical and personal mission?
• [00:10:12] Most women listening are hard-driving, get-it-done, but wonder, WTH happened here. Was it like that for you? 
• [00:16:34] What do you see for the future of medicine and fitness co-existing with diseases not only osteoporosis and sarcopenia but cancer, heart disease, diabetes, etc.?
• [00:22:53] Why are there doctors telling women they can’t gain bone density after 30. What are the science-backed exercise strategies for aging with power, compared to online misinformation and was recommended in the 90s?  
• [00:24:36] How much of your work is dedicated to educating physicians about updated science?
• [00:26:25] What are your thoughts on HRT for muscle and bone density?
• [00:32:47] How can we help under-muscled, under-nourished women ditch diet culture, reclaim their strength, and find joy in movement again for aging with power?
• [00:35:59] What advice do you have for women when they feel like they’re “doing everything right” but their bodies aren’t responding—and how can they start to feel in control again?
• [00:36:26] Instead of losing 3-8% of muscle a decade after 30, how can women flip the script? 

Vision for Longevity – Medicine And Fitness Co-Existing

• Prevention to become the primary model of healthcare, with disease care as the fallback.
• Insurance-based care to cover preventing illness.
• Make fitness and nutrition prescriptions a standard practice.

Reversing Pre-Diabetes

• 96M Americans have pre-diabetes—most are told “watch what you eat”
• Building muscle, walking daily, and avoiding poor food choices can reverse it quickly.
• Diabetes increases Alzheimer’s risk; lack of estrogen makes it worse.

Aging with Power Through Menopause – From Exhausted to Empowered

Progress does not happen overnight.
You can build muscle at every age.

Reclaim Your Strength

• Start with walking, if you're starting from zero.
• Use body weight.
• Lift heavy or HIIT.
• Recovery through sleep and nutrition.

Connect with Dr. Vonda:

• Website - Dr. Vonda Wright
• Instagram - @drvondawright 
• Facebook - Dr. Vonda Wright

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Previous Episode - Acute vs Chronic Stress Effects on Cortisol in Menopause and Beyond
• Next Episode - Muscle Mass and Strength Gains After Menopause How Much How Fast?
• More Like This - Smart Movement for Aging Better with Lara Heimann

Resources:

• Join the Hot, Not Bothered! Challenge to learn why timing matters and why what works for others is not working for you.
• Don’t know where to start? Book your Discovery Call with Debra. Leave this session with insight into exactly what to do right now to make small changes, smart decisions about your exercise time and energy. 

There is no escaping stress but cortisol in menopause changes. With that, your stress response to nearly everything may change. 

You don’t feel it at first but then there’s unexplained weight gain or belly fat. There’s less focus or concentration than you used to have. It shows up in different ways for each of us. 

My Guest:

Sara Banta is a Certified Dietary Supplement Professional and member of the National Association of Nutrition Professionals, helping people take their health into their own hands using cutting-edge natural supplements, DNA-driven nutrition, and real lifestyle solutions.

She’s the founder of Accelerated Health Products, the award-winning Most Innovative Supplement Company FOUR years running, a pioneer in functional wellness and with a passion for uncovering root causes and optimizing the body’s innate healing systems.

As host of the podcast Accelerated Health with Sara Banta—Top 10 Health Podcasts & Top 10 Supplement Podcasts—she brings science-backed insights and down-to-earth advice for natural answers.

Sara’s work is grounded in one simple truth: the body is designed to heal—when you give it the right tools. Sara is on a mission to make vibrant health accessible to everyone.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• [00:04:14] What is the difference between acute and chronic stress?
• [00:11:32] What is causing chronic stress?
• [00:13:42] Why is this so critical to understand what impacts cortisol in menopause?
• [00:15:08] How does it affect muscle gain and fat loss?
• [00:21:59] How is the thyroid related to the adrenals?
• [00:26:16] How can you maintain and build lean muscle while under stress over 50?
• [00:27:31] What supplements help get your adrenals back on track?
• [00:38:06] What lifestyle habits either kill or improve cortisol?

Why Cortisol in Menopause Makes Stress Feel Different

Acute vs Chronic Cortisol

• Acute stress
  • Short-term, natural response to immediate danger.
  • Cortisol helps survival (fight-or-flight).
  • Immune system goes up.
    
    
• Chronic stress
  • Prolonged, ongoing; body never recovers.
  • Chronic stress keeps cortisol elevated → negative health effects.

Causes of Chronic Stress in Midlife & Menopause

• Perimenopause & menopause: the stressors don’t change, but the response to them does.
• Common triggers: lack of sleep, poor diet, environmental toxins, over-exercise, emotional stress.

Cortisol’s Effect on Muscle Gain & Fat Loss

• Elevated cortisol breaks down muscle tissue.
• Interferes with protein synthesis, leading to muscle loss.
• Promotes fat storage, especially visceral (belly) fat.
• Lowers metabolism → makes weight management harder.

Lifestyle Solutions for Cortisol in Menopause

• Diet: whole foods, protein-rich, healthy fats, avoid processed sugar.
• Supplements: adaptogens (ashwagandha, rhodiola), magnesium, vitamin C or Sara Banta’s Cortisol Reset Detox
• Recovery: sleep, restorative exercise (yoga, walking, pilates), breathwork, meditation.

Connect with Sara:

• Website - Accelerated Health Products and Sara Banta Health
• Facebook - Accelerated Health Products 
• Instagram - @acceleratedhealthproducts 
• X - Sara Banta 
• YouTube - @AcceleratedHealthSaraBanta 
• TikTok - @ahpsupplements_ 

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Previous Episode - The New Menopause Therapy: Confessions of a Femme Fatale
• Next Episode - Aging with Power, (Without an Outage) with Vonda Wright
• More Like This:
  • To Detox and If So How to Detox: Midlife Woman to Midlife Woman
  • Is Your Liver Preventing Muscle Growth in Menopause?
  • How to Exercise with High or Low Cortisol in Menopause
  • Cortisol and Exercise in Menopause

Resources:

• On September 1, enjoy Sara Banta’s Accelerated Health Products: Cortisol Reset Detox to restore your body’s natural stress response.
• Join the Hot, Not Bothered! Challenge to learn why timing matters and why what works for others is not working for you.

This new menopause therapy is like stand-up comedy for hot flashes. 

My guest in this episode uses humor and truth to bridge the gap between women’s health then, now and the future. Her message is for all women on how to address the gaps in awareness about menopause. 

If you’re a health and wellness pro you’ll want to listen to this, the new menopause therapy.

My Guest:

Satori Shakoor is a dynamic storyteller, performer, and social entrepreneur, known for founding the award-winning The Secret Society of Twisted Storytellers®. Her career began as a background singer with George Clinton and Parliament/Funkadelic, later expanding into acting, comedy, and writing. She has captivated audiences on NPR, global stages, and podcasts. 

Shakoor uses fearless humor and cultural storytelling, delivering a perspective on aging, womanhood, and the midlife experience in her new comedic stand-up storytelling concert film “Confessions of a Menopausal Femme Fatale,” premiered June 12 on Amazon Prime, Apple TV+, and Google Play, with pre-orders beginning June 1 on iTunes.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• [00:05:06] How did you begin your career and artistic journey?
• [00:15:00] Why did you choose stand-up humor to convey a message about menopause and aging?
• [00:25:21] What do you hope women take away from watching “Confessions of a Menopausal Femme Fatale”?
• [00:31:30] You attended a gathering with Halle Berry and Governor Whitmer to discuss women’s healthcare and menopause, what occurred during those conversations? How do you hope your film contributes to that growing cultural dialogue?
• [00:36:09] You moved between music, theatre, television, and film—what keeps you pushing creative boundaries? What’s next after this project?
• [00:35:53] What do you say to women listening who may not have tapped into their own creative expression for decades? 

The New Menopause Therapy: Breaking the Silence Around Menopause

Therapy Through Storytelling

• Encourage women to speak openly as part of their health journey.
• Use hormonal shifts as a source of creative energy.
• Honesty about symptoms creates solidarity.
• Turn private struggles into public art.

Key Takeaways

• Menopause can be a time of creative rebirth, not just physical change.
• Storytelling serves as both personal therapy and cultural activism.
• Reframing “femme fatale” energy empowers women to embrace their sensuality without shame.
• Speaking openly about menopause can strengthen community bonds and normalize experiences.
• Artistic expression can help process and transform difficult transitions.

Connect with Satori:

• Website - Satori Shakoor
• Website - The Secret Society of Twisted Storytellers®
• Facebook - Satori Shakoor Films 
• Facebook - The Secret Society Of Twisted Story Tellers
• Instagram - @satorishakoorfilms

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Previous Episode - Running vs Walking for Fast Fat Loss in Menopause
• Next Episode - 
• More Like This - Midlife Women’s Makeover: Radiate Confidence. Reclaim Your Power.

Resources:

• Join the Hot, Not Bothered! Challenge to learn why timing matters and why what works for others is not working for you.

• Don’t know where to start? Book your Discovery Call with Debra. Leave this session with insight into exactly what to do right now to make small changes, smart decisions about your exercise time and energy.

Fast fat loss in menopause is not really the goal. Let’s be realistic and say this right out of the gate. Fast fat loss is a myth. 

You may, however, drop inflammation fairly quickly with the right type of exercise. 

Part 1: The Fat Burning Fundamentals

Let's start with the basics. When we talk about fat burning during exercise, we need to understand two key concepts: 

1. Percentage of Fat Used for Fuel 
2. Total Calories Burned

Here's something surprising: At rest, we burn about 85% fat for fuel. Your body is already a fat-burning machine when you're sitting on the couch! 

Here's where it gets interesting..

During low-intensity exercise like walking, you burn a higher percentage of fat for fuel, but you're burning calories at a slower rate overall.

During high-intensity exercise like running, you burn a lower percentage of fat for fuel, but you're torching calories much faster.

Part 2: The EPOC Effect - Your Metabolic Afterburn

EPOC or Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption, but I like to call it your metabolic afterburn. This is the energy your body continues to burn AFTER your workout is over.

High-intensity exercise creates a significant EPOC effect. Your body keeps burning calories for hours after you finish your workout as it works to restore oxygen levels, repair tissues, and return to its normal state. It's like your metabolism stays revved up long after you've stopped moving.

Low-intensity exercise produces minimal EPOC. Once you stop walking, your metabolism pretty quickly returns to baseline. You burned calories during the activity, but the party's over when you stop.

This is where high-intensity exercise starts to look really appealing for fat loss. You're not just burning calories during the workout - you're creating a metabolic boost that lasts for hours.

Know the Best Strategy for Fast Fat Loss in Menopause May Surprise You

Part 3: Sprints vs Steady-State Running - The Game Changer

When we compare running at a slow to moderate pace versus doing sprint intervals, the sprint work wins hands down for fat loss. 

Sprint intervals create a massive EPOC effect. Your body works harder to recover from intense bursts, burning calories long after you're done.

Sprint intervals are incredibly effective at burning both total body fat AND visceral belly fat.

The beauty of sprints is that you can get incredible results in much less time. A 15-20 minute sprint session can be more effective for fat loss than an hour of steady jogging. For busy women in menopause, this efficiency factor is huge.

Part 4: The Cortisol Connection - Why This Matters in Menopause

Now we need to talk about cortisol, because this is where things get really important for women in menopause.

High-intensity exercise creates a greater rise in cortisol compared to low-intensity exercise. This isn't necessarily bad! This cortisol response is actually normal and necessary. It's how your body releases blood sugar to be used as fuel and creates energy for exercise.

Low-intensity exercise like walking creates little rise in cortisol. Comfortable walking, dancing, yoga, or tai chi often actually REDUCE cortisol levels.

The problem isn't the acute cortisol rise from exercise itself. The problem is chronic elevated cortisol combined with high-intensity exercise when your system is already overloaded.

If your stress bucket is already overflowing from work, relationships, poor sleep, and hormonal changes, adding high-intensity exercise makes it spill over.

When cortisol is chronically elevated, it can sabotage your adrenal function and ultimately affect your thyroid. This is particularly relevant during menopause when our hormone systems are already in flux. 

Choosing the Right Cardio for Fast Fat Loss in Menopause

The Hot Not Bothered is open for enrollment as this episode goes live. If you need support getting a start, restart or reset, now is the time! Learn More Here

Part 5: The Real Running vs Walking Debate

Here's where I want to challenge the traditional running versus walking debate. Maybe it's less about the percentage of fat burned for fuel and more about not burning yourself out.

Let me give you a practical example from my own experience:

Walking at a 5.0 pace on the treadmill is NOT comfortable for me. It's an effort - I'm breathing hard, I'm sweating, I'm working.

But jogging at 5.8? That's actually quite slow for running. It's likely harder on my knees while not really providing enough impact to benefit my bone density.

Here's a crucial point: Every time you run - meaning both feet leave the ground - you add four times your body weight in impact to your knee joints. Yet ironically, this repetitive impact isn't the kind of stimulus that optimally benefits bone density once you do it regularly.

While jumping and purposeful impact exercises do provide bone density benefits, repetitive exercise loads like jogging don't create additional stress - they just create more of the same stress.

So sometimes, a challenging walk might actually give you better results than an easy jog, with less wear and tear on your joints. The sad myth about running vs walking is that it will result in fast fat loss in menopause - or any time for that matter.

Smarter Workouts for Fast Fat Loss in Menopause — Without Burnout

Part 6: When Your Body Is Telling You to Slow Down

Chronic cortisol elevation is often linked to inadequate recovery - particularly nutrition - than to workout intensity itself.

If you're on a chronically low-carbohydrate or low-calorie diet, you may experience prolonged cortisol elevations regardless of your exercise. When your body lacks fuel, it compensates by releasing more cortisol to break down fat, muscle, and even bone tissue for energy.

Chronic cortisol is more likely under these conditions:

• Too much too soon (occasional overreaching isn't a problem, but repeated overreaching is)
• Undereating before, during, or after exercise
• Lack of rest time between workouts for repair
• Inadequate sleep
• Planned diet or fasting state

Lower intensity workouts may work better because you're not eating enough, not sleeping enough, or not managing your overall stress load.

The biggest problem? Not eating enough. Going too low carb. Making statements like "my body loves this" when it's giving you signs you're exhausted, holding onto weight, or failing to gain muscle. No, it doesn't love it.

Part 7: Making the Right Choice for YOU

How do you decide between running and walking, or between steady-state and sprint work?

Assess your current stress load:

• How’s your sleep?
• Are you eating enough, especially carbohydrates?
• How are your energy levels throughout the day?
• Are you seeing the results you want?

If you're well-rested, well-fed, and managing stress effectively, higher intensity work including sprints is incredibly effective for fat loss.

If you're stressed, under-fueled, or sleep-deprived, walking or other lower-intensity activities is better right now. 

That's not settling for less - that's being smart about working WITH your body instead of against it. The best exercise program is what you can do consistently while feeling energized and strong, not depleted and exhausted.

Fast Fat Loss in Menopause Differs for Every Body in Every Stage

Part 8: Practical Applications

For sprint work: Start with just 1-2 sprint sessions per week. These could be 15-30 second all-out efforts followed by as much time needed for recovery, repeated 4-6 times. This gives you maximum fat-burning benefit with minimal time investment.

For steady-state work: If you choose to run steadily, make sure it's at an intensity that's appropriately challenging. If you choose to walk, don't be afraid to make it challenging - hills, speed, or resistance can all increase the demand.

For recovery: Always prioritize adequate nutrition and sleep. Your results happen during recovery, not just during the workout.

Listen to your body's feedback. If you're consistently tired, holding onto weight despite "doing everything right," or feeling burnt out, it might be time to dial down the intensity and focus on recovery.

Conclusion

The bottom line? Both running and walking can be effective for fat loss, but the devil is in the details. 

Sprint work offers incredible efficiency and targets visceral fat effectively.
Steady-state cardio has its place, especially when recovery demands are high.

The key is matching your exercise intensity to your body's current capacity for stress and recovery. During menopause, this becomes even more critical as our hormone systems are already adapting to change.

Your exercise program should energize you, not exhaust you. It should work with your lifestyle, not against it. And it should leave you feeling strong and capable, not depleted and overwhelmed.

Remember, there’s no real magic trick for fast fat loss in menopause. However, you can get there faster - sometimes by slowing down and sometimes by sprinting. But always by weight lifting. 

References for Fast Fat Loss in Menopause: 

• Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2022, PMID: 35777076.
• Front Public Health, 2019, PMID: 31921741.
• Experimental Physiology, 2020, PMID: 32613697.
• Journal of Exercise Science & Fitness, 2023, PMID: 37927356.
• Diabetes & Metabolism, 2016, DOI: 10.1016/j.diabet.2016.07.031.

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Previous Episode - Take Up Space: A Perimenopause BodyBuilder on Her Strength Journey
• Next Episode - The New Menopause Therapy: Confessions of a Femme Fatale
• More Like This
  • What’s Better Running or Walking for Midlife Fat Loss (and why)
  • 8 Ways to Make Walking in Menopause MORE Beneficial

Resources: 

• Join the Hot, Not Bothered! Challenge to learn why timing matters and why what works for others is not working for you.
• Use Flipping 50 Scorecard & Guide to measure what matters with easy at-home self-assessment test you can do in minutes.
• Don’t know where to start? Book your Discovery Call with Debra.
  

A Perimenopause bodybuilder shares her story on how to take up space and the history of women being strong before skinny. 

Book author, Anne Marie Chaker, will surprise you about women’s empowerment and when skinny reared its ugly head. Stay ‘til the end and listen to a very subtle challenge we’ll give you about messages to women. 

Strong does things Skinny Never Even Dreams About.
- Debra Atkinson

My Guest:

Anne Marie Chaker is a veteran journalist and professional bodybuilder. During her career at The Wall Street Journal, from the Journal’s regional editions to the Spot News Desk during the September 11 attack. She covered everything from politics, news events, consumer trends, education, workplace, and the major sociological shifts of our time. Her article “I Never Thought I’d Write This: I Am a Female Bodybuilder” generated more than 500k views since it was published in 2020.

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

• [00:03:49] How did you start bodybuilding when you were recovering from postpartum depression and other life events?
• [00:08:30] How has training changed now that you’re in perimenopause? 
• [00:13:47] What is it like being a perimenopause bodybuilder? 
• [00:16:24] What are the roots of the obsession with “skinny”?
• [00:18:32] Is it true that the early woman was strong – women were hunters and not gatherers?
• [00:22:36] What is the difference between bodybuilding and figure competition?
• [00:25:24] How do you keep yourself from slipping down the body dysmorphia trail? 
• [00:33:03] What is the future of body building for women?
• [00:37:05] In your book, ‘Lift’, how do you propose women make the necessary mindset shift to own this and reclaim their physical power?

Advice From A Perimenopause Body Builder

• Connect with a bodybuilder coach.
• Proper Nutrition: Eat more, track macros, and focus on protein.
• Shifted from cardio to heavy lifting.
• Be prepared for the commitment — training, nutrition tracking, and competition prep are demanding but rewarding.

Life Transformation

• Better nutrition and training improved work performance and confidence.
• Feels like an athlete again after years away from sports.

Difference Between Bodybuilding And Figure Competition

• Bikini Division: Athletic, lean, and muscular but not extreme.
• Figure Division: More muscle than bikini; slightly different posing style.
• Women’s Bodybuilding: Most muscular category with distinct posing; fewer women compete in this today.

Key Takeaways

• Strength over skinny – Building muscle and eating enough transforms health, confidence, and outlook.
• Nutrition is foundational – Tracking macros, especially protein, is key to physical and mental turnaround.
• Cultural pressures run deep – The obsession with thinness is relatively modern and a backlash to women’s empowerment.
• Perimenopause isn’t a limitation – With training and hormone therapy, women can thrive and compete at elite levels.
• Role modeling matters – Showing strength training and positive food talk can influence the next generation’s mindset.

Connect with Anne Marie:

• Website - Get Anne Marie's book LIFT here
• Instagram - @annemariechaker 
• LinkedIn - Anne Marie Chaker
• Substack - Anne Marie Chaker 

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Previous Episode - Retired Lawyer Shares How to Advocate for Yourself & Loved Ones
• Next Episode - Running vs Walking for Fast Fat Loss in Menopause
• More Like This - 5 Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight or Gaining Muscle After 50

Resources:

• Join the Hot, Not Bothered! Challenge to learn why timing matters and why what works for others is not working for you.
• Don’t know where to start? Book your Discovery Call with Debra.
• Get your lean, clean Flipping 50 Protein Powders to maintain muscle and support metabolism.