It’s NOT too late to start resistance training. And by now, my hope is that you’ve heard and seen that study after study show the benefits, even the necessity, of weight training to age well. My clients Sharon, Judy and Susan are just a few of my clients that joined the party a little later… … Continued

Cardio is getting a bad rap, but heart disease is the leading cause of death for women. So, don’t toss out ‘cardio’ completely, even if you hear it jacks up your cortisol levels (it won’t). In fact, cortisol is normal and necessary. There is actually no evidence to support the claim that cortisol fluctuations in … Continued

Train your legs! A twin study showed women with stronger legs had better cognitive function and larger brain volumes, especially in memory regions like the hippocampus. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4789972/ The research found: Great leg power = larger brain volume Better leg strength = better cognitive resilience Strong legs may slow brain aging Yet ANOTHER reason to resistance … Continued

If you get bored with exercise from time to time… Congratulations! It’s proof that you’re sticking with it…even when it’s not shiny & new… You’ll have good & better days working out. The only regret about exercise you’ll have is if you stop doing it. So workout, even if you’re bored. Your future self will … Continued

A deep V squat, which most of us could do as children, will help develop and maintain hip, knee and ankle mobility. Struggling? 1. Hold onto something to take some of your body weight 2. Raise your heels if ankle mobility is limited 3. Add a small rolled up towel behind each knee to ease … Continued

Where fitness is concerned, sometimes progress means holding your ground. If you’re maintaining a certain level of strength & skill level over time, this is PROGRESS. This is what I’m learning about my training as a 62 year old. Whether this is in the gym, in the pool, on a hike or on my bike, … Continued

‘I used to…’ are the saddest words… I used to be… I used to do… I used to be able… Yes, we are constantly evolving & change is inevitable… But there are some things that are worth holding onto. Like your strength… Like your mobility… Like your ability to TRY or keep trying… Even though … Continued

You’re asking the wrong question. Spot reducing is a myth. Ab exercises will strengthen your core, reduce back pain, improve performance in sport and even protect you from injury. But will exercise flatten your tummy or give you visible abs? Unlikely. In order to see your abs, you need to rid yourself of subcutaneous fat, … Continued

Recovering from being sick? How do you get back to working out? For me, I want to move but I don’t want to over do it. I basically go through what my weightlifting warm up includes. This will give me about 20 minutes of mobility. If I feel better the next day, I’ll repeat & … Continued

Are you looking to enhance your bone health? Studies show that with the right combination of exercise and nutrition, you can regain up to 3% of your bone density in just six months. Here’s how to do it: 1. Jumping Exercises Incorporate jumping exercises like skipping rope or jumping jacks into your routine. Research indicates … Continued

Here’s where the 10 Minute Rule comes in… You know you ‘should’ do some movement, but you just don’t ‘feel like’ you have the time, energy or an idea to get started…. Here’s the scoop: Instead of feeling pressured to commit to long workouts, start with just 10 minutes of exercise, even if it’s just … Continued

I’m sorry… At one time I definitely didn’t give the credit due to walking as a regular form of exercise… There are far too many barriers to exercise that might make you want to throw your hands up in despair. While it’d be great if you could include strength training… Don’t be discouraged if all … Continued

Learning how to delay gratification is a useful skill. One way you can do this with nutrition, particularly when you want a snack (that you might not need) is by setting a 5 minute timer. If you can put TIME between you and a potentially unhealthy snack, you will likely make a better choice. Instead of … Continued

As a health & fitness expert, these are the supplements I got asked about this week alone… Berberine? Tart cherry? Ashwagandha? Probiotics? My answer to all of them? Don’t ‘major’ in the minors… . No supplement will make much difference unless you have the basics covered. What’s most important for optimal health and weight management?: … Continued

Struggle no more where fiber is concerned! Grab my free fiber guide here that includes: . -The many reasons you need fiber -65 examples of 5g fiber options Simply add 1-2 servings per meal or snack so you can easily meet your 25g/day fiber goal. . It’s as simple as that!

If you feel like you’re doing all the right things but you’re not getting the results you want, here are two things I recently discussed with my clients on our weekly call… 1. Fats can ADD UP FAST Fats are calorie dense (9 calories per gram) so it’s best to measure. I easily doubled 1 … Continued

How about just forgetting about weight loss in menopause? Instead, focus on healthy habits. This is a strategy that’s working for my clients. Here are some specific strategies, along with research backing their effectiveness… Focus on Whole Foods A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that diets rich in whole foods … Continued

Magnesium is an essential mineral that plays a crucial role in various bodily functions. There are several types of magnesium supplements, each with unique properties and benefits. Here are some of the most common types: 1. Magnesium Citrate: This is one of the most popular forms of magnesium due to its high bioavailability, meaning it … Continued

Go ahead & do all the things the ‘health gurus’ tell you not to do. On occasion… Look, the devil is in the dose. It’s not what you do SOME of the time, it’s what you do MOST of the time that really matters. It’s not about perfection. It’s about finding BALANCE. Of course if … Continued

Discover the art of listening to your body’s signals and cultivating a healthier relationship with food. Learn how to decode nutrition labels effortlessly, empowering you to make informed choices that nourish your body and mind. Whether you’re looking to break free from diet culture or simply enhance your understanding of nutrition, this masterclass is for … Continued

Don’t quit your full time job to get your daily protein in! Here are some ways to make that job easier: Here’s a blog post explaining this rule below. Of course, I’m here to help as well. Let’s talk. The topic of protein is a regular discussion point on my weekly nutrition call with my … Continued

It’s all about the math. To lose fat you need to create a calorie deficit, but you NEED to prioritize protein. So ‘budget’ for your protein calories FIRST. And then fill in the rest of your calories with carbs & fat (the ratio of these is up to you). Also consider MOVING more rather than … Continued

Of course you don’t want to waste food! But is it better to eat the excess & store it on your waist? Here are two ways I’m learning to be less wasteful: make more appropriate serving sizes give away leftovers True story: often my leftovers get ‘stored’ long enough that they nearly grow legs and … Continued

Being in a calorie deficit DOES work for fat loss. The point of this video is to highlight one of the MANY ways it might APPEAR that you’re in a calorie deficit when in fact you might NOT be: Food labels can have faulty math which makes it a challenge… Here’s the example in the … Continued

Whether you’re in your 40’s or 80’s… You’ve never been as old as you are right now. Which might be a reason to go sit down… But, you’ll also never be as young as you are this moment… So maybe that thot will remind you to go do that thing. Whatever you’ve been putting off. … Continued

Are you triggered by the scale? If weight loss is your goal, the scale is ONE tool in your tool box. The number on any given day isn’t necessarily an accurate indication of weight. It’s best to take an AVERAGE of your weight over a week (or even longer). So MORE data points are better … Continued

Be kind to yourself and love who you are TODAY. Remember that you’ve gained wisdom through the years that make up for any physical differences. Where physical attributes like appearance, strength, mobility etc.are concerned, if you compare the current version of you to your past self… You may be disappointed. In fact, if you can … Continued

Don’t let anyone’s best moments ever make you feel ‘less than’. Sure there are highlights in everyone’s life! Like my recent trip to Mexico. But, much of ‘life’ doesn’t actually ’make the cut’! We all have issues, doubts & insecurities at times… These ‘truths’ in the video are just a few of mine (in no … Continued

I recently celebrated a birthday… While 62 isn’t ‘old’, the number is shocking to me. But I’m happy to have a clear(ish) mind, great energy and the ability to move. I’m grateful to my younger self who prioritized healthy lifestyle habits. And I’m glad I’m learning new things like Olympic weightlifting (started in my late … Continued

You may HATE getting on the scale. I get it. But let me tell you about Alex and her experience with the scale and it may change your mind about using it or what I call the ‘tight jean’ method of accountability. Alex is a long time coaching client with whom I check in with twice a … Continued

Want something more meaningful than a social media yearly recap? A fun tradition that my partner & I do is our ‘memory box’. We jot down the date & a fun memory on a post-it & put it in our box to be opened on New Year’s Eve. As we go thru the post-it notes … Continued

Are you paying attention? A handful of this and a bite of that can add up and if weight loss is your goal, it’s just not going to happen if you’re unaware of your habits. Maybe your goals & habits are misaligned? May be you’ve let habits slide? Small habit tweaks can move you closer … Continued

Aging and how time accumulates is a funny thing. Every day you wake up, you may not notice the passage of time… Until you do.  You might notice aches or pains or hit a milestone birthday and wonder, ‘Wow, how did that number get so big?’ I’m with you… You may look in the mirror … Continued

Small hinges swing big doors. In other words, it’s the small things that will change your life over time. This can work in a both positive and negative ways. You don’t need to overhaul your entire life to be on a healthier path. . Consider doing something small. Examples may be something simple like: -doing … Continued

The danger is in thinking you have more time… The average lifespan for women is 82.6 years (Canada, 2021). At 60, you have 22 summers left… 22 Christmas’s 22 birthdays 22 years to see & do it all – if you’re lucky! It may be morbid to look at life this way, but it certainly … Continued

Do you have a passion project? My co-host, Alli Kerr and I do the Girls Talk Healthy Aging podcast as our passion project and as a public service. We’re passionate about bringing you evidence based information to help you age well. Honestly, at first we were excited to just talk with each other, but we’ve … Continued

Hot flashes? Well, if you need ANOTHER reason to resistance train, here it is… More lean muscle is shown to reduce hot flashes according to this study: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40695-020-00058-9 How do you get more muscle? Resistance training! With declining estrogen levels in the menopause transition, both bone density and muscle mass declines. Resistance training offsets both … Continued

It’s not all bad! I mean not worrying about a period or unwanted pregnancy is a bonus of menopause, right? Here are the things you can do to offset the negatives you may be experiencing as estrogen declines: Eat a high protein, fiber rich diet. Resistance train 2-3 times a week. Keep a consistent sleep … Continued

Starting something new for fitness? It can be scary (even for seasoned fitness veterans). Here are 3 tips to make it easier: 1. Check out the facility, find when it’s not busy & try to go during those times. 2. Go with a plan! 3. Do it scared, after the first few times, it will … Continued

Calorie trackers are inaccurate. They don’t account for EPOCH – or energy burned AFTER exercise – which is the big benefit of resistance training. Your workout should be FUN anyways, not just a source of calorie burning. Your workout should be focused on fun and/or skill or strength development. It’s only a small part of … Continued

Weight loss only occurs in a calorie deficit, but instead of eating less, why not do more? Enter NEAT: non-exercise activity thermogenesis. This includes walking (& all the other active things you do in your day). Simply adding more daily steps can create a calorie deficit while eating more. It’s win-win: -you get to eat … Continued

“Participating in Shawna’s program was a life changing experience. “ @stephanieliner From my perspective, it was a great pleasure to work with Stephanie. She consistently showed up & was ready to learn. She threw away old ideas, for example, she (reluctantly) increased her calorie & carb intake & watched her weight go down. She slowly increased … Continued

Set the bar low. I know this sounds like ridiculous advice from a coach. But, if you make a small promise to yourself & keep it, you’re more likely to continue to make & keep promises to yourself. Starting small & working up to bigger promises is how you build integrity with yourself. It’s how … Continued

Food tracking can be inaccurate. But that’s not the REAL point! The big benefits of food tracking include increasing self accountability & intentionality around eating. Food labels can be up to 20% off – like in this example: the label assumes that the scoop holds 42g of product when in fact, it only holds 30g … Continued

Did you blow your nutrition this weekend? Look, it happens, especially when you don’t have a plan. To lose weight, you need to create a calorie deficit. This can be achieved thru out the week versus just in one day. You can cycle your calories a little so you could have a few less calories … Continued

If you want visible abs, be aware of the sacrifices you may need to make. Be realistic & manage expectations where weight loss goals are concerned… ⭐️20-22% body fat⭐️ ✔️fit appearance & good overall health ✔️livable lifestyle ✔️few cravings due to balanced diet ✔️plans & time needed for meal prep ✔️coaching is sometimes needed to … Continued

Are you choosing clothes from the fat side of the closet? Do you dress in the dark? If you’re not comfortable in your own skin, it’s not too late to do something about it. I had the good fortune to try on all kinds of sweet lil dresses at a local boutique and it reminded … Continued

Food tracking increases awareness & intentionality but can be cumbersome. So here’s an easy option to food track. Use the free app ‘See How You Eat’. You take pics of meals & snacks & it’s organized daily. It’s this easy accountability that creates awareness & intention to your eating. And any habit that you can … Continued