But also?
It wasn’t too hard.
My friends, losing weight at any age is something that *you* can do, too (if you want to).
Today’s episode features intervals of a minute-thirty (running) and thirty seconds (walking) – feel free to switch those up or use them in whatever way works for YOU.
This deep dive into the topic of weight loss isn’t your usual, “Here’s what I ate and this is how I exercised” fluff, because that’s not how we do things here on the Let’s RUN Podcast.
Nope.
I’m getting into the nitty-gritty (and TMI) of *exactly* how weight loss works, both biologically and psychologically.
Yes, there are tears, and yes, we’re talking about my period. 🙂 There are also plenty of insights and practical tips that YOU can use on YOUR weight loss journey.
Here’s how I successfully lost weight and plan on keeping it off:
✔️ I had a GOAL
✔️ I had PLAN
✔️ I had TOTAL COMMITMENT, and (maybe the most important thing)
✔️ I MANAGED MY MINDSET
You might be surprised to learn which one of these things was the hardest for me!
Join me for this enlightening conversation and be sure to share your a-ha moments and takeaways in a comment.
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
How I'm Dealing with GAINING WEIGHT:
WEIGHT LOSS series:
What Do You Have to GIVE UP to Meet Your GOAL:
💛💛💛💛💛
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So often we see those weight loss statistics of how many pounds the average woman will gain after menopause and it makes us feel discouraged. We're supposed to be running around, playing with our kids and grandkids, not worrying about gaining a few extra pounds! Well, we are here to tell you that losing weight before 50 is possible if you know what you're doing! Read on for our top ten tips for getting rid of those menopausal pounds once and for all:
1. Weigh yourself once a week. We recommend that you weigh yourself in the morning, after going to the bathroom, and before eating breakfast.
2. Stop weighing yourself more than once a week! We know it can be hard, but weighing ourselves more often doesn't help us make better choices when it comes to our diet and exercise routine. We recommend that women stop weighing themselves over once a month if they feel like they're obsessed with their weight or body image.
3. Cut out processed and fried foods! This is where most of your extra calories are coming from and eliminating these will dramatically reduce your daily caloric intake which in turn will lead to weight loss! It's not rocket science – eat healthy so you can lose weight! Other sources of extra calories that you might want to cut out are alcohol and sugar-laden drinks.
4. Try walking instead of taking the elevator! Taking the stairs is a great workout but it's just not enough. First of all, it doesn't help you develop those “healthy” muscle definitions since most people don't do enough repetitions, and second, because let's face it – we're busy women with full schedules, exercise takes up time! So again, try practicing brisk walking for at least 30 minutes per day (preferably outside!) It will give you an awesome cardiovascular workout and especially if you live in a windy city like Chicago or New York City!
5. Do arm exercises every single day. Aerobic exercise is great but it only helps the lower half of your body. To get a full workout you have to make sure that both halves of your body are equally developed. So do arm exercises every day! You can start by doing bicep curls or pushups, and as you get more conditioned increase the number of repetitions per set and change it up now and then by adding weights.
6. Do abdominal crunches 3 times per week! We all know how important exercise is for us – it increases our energy levels which improves our mood, increases our metabolism so we burn calories even when we're resting, helps with digestion, lowers blood pressure so we'll have healthier hearts… But most importantly exercise gives us a stronger core which is crucial for a flat stomach and a “lift” to our breasts – both symptoms of menopause.
7. An easy way to get rid of those love handles is by doing squats! You can do these while brushing your teeth or during commercial breaks while watching TV. Just make sure you do it daily and increase the number of reps per set as you get better at them.
8. Strength train 3 times per week! We recommend that women focus on strength training after they've mastered the basics, i.e., walking, crunches and squats since these can help prevent injuries while strength training is done properly (and who wants to be injured when working out!). If you're just starting we suggest that you buy an aerobic stepper and some dumbbells, and using this equipment do a full-body workout 3 times per week!
9. Start saving money for gym equipment! If you're serious about losing those last few pounds we also suggest that you buy an exercise bike (or treadmill), a weight bench with weights, a yoga mat, and a ball as well as a prop stand to hold the weights while doing bicep curls or triceps extensions. It will help tremendously with your workouts as some of them can be quite tedious; we recommend that you do them on a more “classic” weight training machine like the ones found at your local gym.
10. We know it sounds like a lot of work but there is no way around it: if you want to lose weight you have to exercise, period! However if done properly (i.e., following the tips above) exercise shouldn't take more than 2 hours per week which will still leave you with plenty of time for your family and friends! Let's face it – menopause might turn us into sex monsters but at least it doesn't give us any wrinkles, right? Enjoy every minute of it since literally, all hell will break loose on your body starting around age 50 (or even earlier)! It's a long road but in the end, we're going to be fine!
Well, ladies, that was fun wasn't it? We hope you enjoyed this article and found some helpful tips that could help you achieve your goal weight. Remember, once you've reached it keep exercising to maintain your weight and also try to eat healthily. It's a lifestyle, not a diet!
I am not able to run, because of an injury. (No bouncing up and down) 😢 So I will be walking. I always love your conversations.
I so appreciate the raw sharing in this podcast. In a world where so many are pretending everything is perfect, we need more voices sharing that it is not and that is unrealistic. Thank you for so many words that I benefited from hearing today!
I’m glad you enjoyed our chat! 🙂
Wish I could give and get a hug after running this with you. . I have so many areas of thinking “I am not allowed”, I do not know where to start first. I was told I was not allowed and I believed that until I had a PTSD problem and got prof help. I still often feel two dimensional from my past abuse and caregiving desperately ill family for so long. I see I have somewhere in my recent journey given up hope to be happy and safe. I see perhaps giving myself permission will cut down on the disconnect and hopefully the mental warfare. Giving myself permission to feel,to react,and to take responsibility to heal is huge. To say to myself “I am allowed” will be very helpful.
I am sorry for your losses,Pahla. I have had grown children come home and continue to deal with the Crohns and diabetes that have almost killed two of my kids. I am grateful you are using your own griefs to help us mentally and physically. Sorry for the book. I am amazed at your story and blessed you shared. Thank you, Pahla- Paula with a u.
My favourite video to date. Thanks! 🙂
Such a very important video. A dear friend could have benefited so much from your story of this particular journey. I have forwarded it to friends and daughter. Thank you.
I listened to this yesterday while doing a weight workout. It’s funny how people misconceive being in the “fitness industry” makes things easier for a person. I saw it when I taught aerobics and sculpting classes years ago. I actually think it’s harder for fitness people, because even WE think it should be easier for us, and when we struggle with it, it hurts us to the core (haha no pun intended). Add on to it, people who poo poo our efforts, “if I were you, it’d be easier for me and I could look like you too.” And on top of it all, we are being judge on how we look, how we move, how we eat. It’s not always pretty. It’s hard. Anyhow, sorry this is so long, I just wanted you to know, I feel your pain. I didn’t gain weight after menopause (I’m about 7 years post now), I gained it before, not a ton, just enough that I felt like you do. Just not “me.” I haven’t gotten serious enough to drop it yet (its only 7 pounds) but you have given me the want and desire to get down to it. Thanks.
First, I love that you listen to the podcast while you’re doing another type of workout – that’s awesome!! And… you’ll know if or when you’re ready to lose weight. I had zero intention of losing it, right up until I did. 🙂 And when I was ready, it worked.
Loved this ! Realky resonated with me .I have a question Pahla -did your weightloss plan become easier or more difficult with regards to your mindset struggle because you weighed yourself every day ,rather than setting your time limit and only weighing yourself at the beginning and end ?Obviously this will be your retrospective answer 🐝💛Absolutely love all your work and as I’m getting older,I find your subject matters and workouts soooooo relevent THANK YOU ☺
Honestly, I’ve weighed myself every day for years and years and years. The number never bugs me! I take note and move on with my day and rarely think about it. While I was losing, though, I wrote it down, because I wanted to keep track. And I’m really glad I did! It was super helpful to look at the numbers and realize that I was making progress (except when I wasn’t, LOL). But even when it stalled out for those two weeks, I weighed myself and wrote it down. It was simply a task, like keeping track of my water.
I know it’s different for everybody. That’s kind of why I bring things up in the podcast – some of it is super relevant, some of it isn’t. For many people, daily weighing would bring on lots of mindset issues! But I will always encourage people to face the issues and move forward, rather than simply finding an “easier” way, or a way to “get past it.”
@The Fitness Matters Podcast 💛☺🐝
Just finished this one. This brought up a lot for me. I’ll just mention one – grief. When you talked about losing your sister… I recalled how I had just reached my weight-loss goal (at the time) when my mother was diagnosed with cancer and passed away not long afterwards. I gained a lot of the weight back subsequently and eventually had to start the process again. And the process felt so much different that time. Didn’t really put the pieces together of why it was different. And why it felt different when I reached that goal again. You mentioned that you might do a podcast about grief in the future. That might be difficult for you to devote a whole podcast to talking about that experience, just as it might be difficult for some of us to listen to, but might be beneficial at the same time.
I’m so sorry about losing your mom. <3
No running for me , bad knee. But I need to lose or my other knee will be next. Need strength and weight loss. So happy I found this . 56 and menopause weight gain was horrible. About 5 lbs a year for the last 5 years. I did one of your low impact at work today. So this is my start!!!!
Just finished this workout, I’m sweating a lot. Thank you for sharing. I’m 58 and going through menopause was hell. I had a period for a year and 6 months. I had surgery to stop it. They burned my uterus and the bleeding stopped. 4 yrs no more periods. Don’t miss it at all. Happy me, but now my stomach is big and now I have to do something about it. So thanks for the information. I know what to do now.
My sister (who just completed her chemo and radiation) has a step daughter Vickie (yes), who as of last week was in hospice. I visited my sister last week, and I couldn’t stop thinking about the stories that you had written about your sister. So similar, and so heartbreaking. It’s hard to be happy when the world is so brutal. And it definitely effects us physically 🥺
I keep trying to answer this and there just aren’t any words that feel adequate. I’m so sorry for everybody involved. Especially since your sister should be celebrating being 🤞🤞🤞 cancer-free. I’m glad Vickie has hospice care. Those nurses are the kindest people on earth. 💛
I know 😢
I listened to this on a podcast platform. It was so interesting and thoughtful. The part where u talked about working through the thought/belief that u might not be able to be happy again, and how u challenged that and changed that belief was v. well explained and helpful to me. Thank u.
Thank you so MUCH for baring this much if your soul to help others. This type of honest encouragement is why I follow you. You’re real and you make it feel like we can do it too!
I recently found your podcasts and find them perfect for my treadmill runs, as well as very informative and inspirational. Thank you!
Gosh Pahla this story is sounding slightly familiar: life stresses, lost my mom, in a new position at work, feeling like I didn’t know where I should be at 49. Etc. I’m finally getting a different life, it’s not exactly the same but it’s starting to feel good. I’m down 9 pounds now. And I have more to lose but I’m doing it slowly and I appreciate it in a way I haven’t experienced it before. Part of the game changer was finding your videos. You are doing something pretty amazing out here for women.
I love this conversation.You are a really nice person.
Started indoor running with you couple weeks ago and really enjoy it. You are boosting my mood! Feeling much better and motivated after running. Unfortunately no weight loss yet but not giving up!
I’m not losing anything either but just like you my mood is so much better.
I am so sorry for the loss of your sister. I lost my Mum and my Nan earlier in the year. I had just started a new job. Then Covid happened. It has been a tough year. But strangely enough, where I would usually turn to alcohol to cope, I actually started a fitness journey. Not straight away. There was a lot of drinking and even more weight gain, for about 3 months. And then my brother started his fitness journey and he would send me video links and we would share different workouts (yours and a couple of others). And it helped me feel like I had some control and focus on where I was going. But anyways, initially the weight came off quite quickly. But the last month it has slowed down, and gone up a lb here and down a lb there. And I was getting frustrated and thinking well maybe this is what my body wants to be. Which in all honesty, I am back at my regular weight (but still overweight) so I realise now, from this and a few of your other podcasts your body likes what it likes, but if calories in is less than calories out I will eventually lose weight. Also, just wanted to say that I love how open and honest you are about your health, your mind and your body. I love how in all your workouts you encourage eating, refueling, hydration, you don’t push fad diets, you don’t say that we will lose this amount of weight, you don’t tell us how many calories we should be eating to lose weight. I also started crying with you when you started crying. It’s hard. Grief is hard but yes you are allowed to be happy.
I love your energy.. Story time is great because I learn about you as a person. 🙂
Enjoyed your podcast-I identified with many of your topics-I went through the menopause, loss my mum and struggling with weight, lockdown, fear of Covid and my falling out of love with running. I was enjoying running, being part of a running club but due to Covid have had to stop. The thought of getting back out there is really stressful so instead I am now exercising every day (your 7 day challenges) and follow a weight loss regime-
I’m consumed with guilt about ‘not running outside’ but at least I’m running with you-thank you for not being perfect-we all have our worries-as John legend sings we all have “perfect imperfections”