It helps you build more muscle mass, but is only effective when you’re eating adequate protein and resistance training. Just gives you that little extra edge
Hi!! Love this! I have a question for you. I’m a 44 year old mom with 3 kids. (I’m a lot more than that too just giving the stats. 🤪🤣) I know this might not be black and white and obviously moving your body in any way is beneficial. Right now I do 3 days of Melissa Wood and a VO2Max day on the treadmill. (I also walk almost everyday) Do you like programs like MW for strength (I also love it for flexibility) or you recommend more weights in the gym strength training?
Thanks Sarah! I think it depends on your goals but you want to make sure you’re increasing resistance (progressive overload). Honestly I find that hard to do with programs like MW. They still have benefits (it’s great to move your body and I love the mobility aspect), but you have to lift progressively heavier to add muscle.
Having “too much muscle” is a problem that will increase your health for decades. And it’s really hard to gain muscle. I’ve only gained 3lbs of muscle.
I second that! Women have way less testosterone then men and most don't lift heavy enough to really grow muscle mass size. It's hard to gain muscle and even harder to keep it when you hit menopause but its the difference between being strong or frail in our 60's and 70's.
I find that I like to mix it up for my aesthetic goals to avoid bulking where I don't want: lift heavy on glutes, medium on legs/back, light on arms, and bodyweight on core--I think we all put muscle mass on differently depending on body type so you have to figure out what works for you!
I’m also a 44yo mom of 3! Plus much more. I’ve been doing heavy resistance training for almost 2 years now. I haven’t lost any weight, maybe even look bigger than before. It doesn’t feel great mentally knowing my body is larger than a Pilates girl, but I also know I am way stronger than I’ve ever been. I know that when I get older my body will keep up with my mind. If I fall I won’t break a hip. I’ve tried MW and that high rep with low or no weights is not going to build muscle or protect your bones. Sometimes we have to choose health over vanity. It’s a hard pill to swallow for me.
I did two about 8 months apart. Sadly I didn’t lose any fat, gained around a pound of muscle but my bone density went up very significantly. Which is of course a huge win, but as you mentioned there is that small vanity component where you also want to look good. I recently added a midday walk to my routine and I think maybe it’s helping based on how my pants are fitting. Going to do another dexa soon to see
Dietary changes may help you lose fat and feel more lean. Some people gain muscle more easily (most women do not, but some do — especially with high testosterone) but it seems like your muscle mass has not changed massively (a pound is great though). I would use a tracking app like Chronometer to track macros / caloric intake and get your hormones tested.
I used that app for a few weeks to see what my diet looked like and I was eating like 2500-3000 cals (😱) to try and meet my protein goals - a big wake up call. The past 6 months I’ve been trying to dial in the nutrition. I know WHAT to do, it’s just executing it and maintaining. I found trying to meet my protein goals sometimes means I eat more cals, so being really intentional and planning has helped. And working on my sweet tooth since those little treats can take you right of a deficit
I think dialing this I will give you the results you’re looking for! Working with a nutritionist can help you figure it out. We have a group program starting in September — stay tuned for details.
Yes to all of this Mia!! I’m so excited to be on the other side soon! You’re an inspiration always!! I do want to know if you trained during pregnancy with Freya? And how important you think that is for getting your body back after you’re all done having kids? Elsie has a little sister coming in December and IM so excited but also can’t wait to try to get back in shape. Also hi Freya!! 💞
Mia, this is SO inspiring. I’m going to look into getting the scan, pronto. At 46, I’m know I’m doing ok at some things, but have a lot of room for improvement in others. I got the Oura glucose sensor and it has made a huge improvement in how I eat over the last month—- very eye opening, and definitely has me wanting to do more. This is such a good roadmap, thank you. Xx
Creatine is like an extra boost — you have to resistance train + eat adequate protein for it to be effective for muscle growth. Although there are other cognitive benefits being researched.
You inspired me a few months ago when you first mentioned the pull ups to do a push up challenge - I started at 10 (on toes) and am now at 25! I agree, it is so satisfying to see progress! Congrats on your hard work xo
Yes I do full body 3x a week and sometimes 1 Pilates class + walking daily. I have two programs I rotate through but my notes are kind of a mess. Will try to sort through and share!
This is all what I’m about!! Game changer for me was finding Evlo. It’s an app that creates your full week of routines to work every muscle the amount it needs for growth and it’s all taught by doctors of physical therapy. 10/10. Really took the guess work out of weight training which could have been something that put me off of it long term.
10 pull ups! Congrats! That’s so badass, Mia. Last year I lost 10 lbs in four months right before I turned 40 due to unexpected illness. I’m still recovering my health in lots of ways but my main fitness goal has been to regain muscle mass. Progress is frustratingly slow, but I’m staying steady it’s working. I’ve gained 6 lbs of muscle back so far! Question - Should I consider adding creatine even if my lifting is still quite light? My load capacity is much lower than pre-illness so the numbers on the weights aren’t high, but they feel heavy on my muscles as I rebuild.
Love this and can relate so much! I'm 6 months postpartum and am getting a DEXA next week to check in on how my own muscle building is progressing. Since you were already such a healthy eater did you make any nutrition tweaks to help with this recomp success? I'm still full time breastfeeding and am trying to nail the carb and protein intake to maximize supply and recomp.
Hey Annie! Congrats on the little one! Love that you're already scheduled for a DEXA. Honestly, I have not changed anything about my diet, but I've been very consistent. When breastfeeding, it's really important to prioritize protein and pay attention to cravings. It gets easier as they get a little bigger and are less dependent on your milk, but every woman's experience is different. Keep me posted on your results! It's so empowering to get control of your body back after having a baby. xx
I am so inspired by this. Thank you for sharing. I am 12 months postpartum with my second, and have been on a similar journey. There is something so motivating about knowing you're on the other side of having kids!
Go Mia! I can literally vouch for you because I see you every week at the gym. Love that we have the same trainer and are getting after our big fitness goals. Strong = powerful (but I still hate those pull ups!)
Obsessed with everything you do
😘
Same
what is the reasoning behind creatine? I've been so intrigued by it lately!
It helps you build more muscle mass, but is only effective when you’re eating adequate protein and resistance training. Just gives you that little extra edge
It is also great for brain fog and mental clarity, esp in peri and post menopausal women
Yes there’s so much exciting research coming out about the cognitive benefits of creatine.
Hi!! Love this! I have a question for you. I’m a 44 year old mom with 3 kids. (I’m a lot more than that too just giving the stats. 🤪🤣) I know this might not be black and white and obviously moving your body in any way is beneficial. Right now I do 3 days of Melissa Wood and a VO2Max day on the treadmill. (I also walk almost everyday) Do you like programs like MW for strength (I also love it for flexibility) or you recommend more weights in the gym strength training?
Thanks Sarah! I think it depends on your goals but you want to make sure you’re increasing resistance (progressive overload). Honestly I find that hard to do with programs like MW. They still have benefits (it’s great to move your body and I love the mobility aspect), but you have to lift progressively heavier to add muscle.
Thank you! That makes sense. I know it’s not true and everyone has debunked it but I still get anxious with the “bulky” fear.
Having “too much muscle” is a problem that will increase your health for decades. And it’s really hard to gain muscle. I’ve only gained 3lbs of muscle.
Ok! You’ve inspired me- stay tuned!
Keep me posted!! And get a DEXA scan.
I second that! Women have way less testosterone then men and most don't lift heavy enough to really grow muscle mass size. It's hard to gain muscle and even harder to keep it when you hit menopause but its the difference between being strong or frail in our 60's and 70's.
I find that I like to mix it up for my aesthetic goals to avoid bulking where I don't want: lift heavy on glutes, medium on legs/back, light on arms, and bodyweight on core--I think we all put muscle mass on differently depending on body type so you have to figure out what works for you!
Definitely - I recommend a dexa scan to see where your muscle mass is.
I’m also a 44yo mom of 3! Plus much more. I’ve been doing heavy resistance training for almost 2 years now. I haven’t lost any weight, maybe even look bigger than before. It doesn’t feel great mentally knowing my body is larger than a Pilates girl, but I also know I am way stronger than I’ve ever been. I know that when I get older my body will keep up with my mind. If I fall I won’t break a hip. I’ve tried MW and that high rep with low or no weights is not going to build muscle or protect your bones. Sometimes we have to choose health over vanity. It’s a hard pill to swallow for me.
Have you gotten a DEXA scan? It’s helpful To know your body fat and muscle mass.
I did two about 8 months apart. Sadly I didn’t lose any fat, gained around a pound of muscle but my bone density went up very significantly. Which is of course a huge win, but as you mentioned there is that small vanity component where you also want to look good. I recently added a midday walk to my routine and I think maybe it’s helping based on how my pants are fitting. Going to do another dexa soon to see
Dietary changes may help you lose fat and feel more lean. Some people gain muscle more easily (most women do not, but some do — especially with high testosterone) but it seems like your muscle mass has not changed massively (a pound is great though). I would use a tracking app like Chronometer to track macros / caloric intake and get your hormones tested.
I used that app for a few weeks to see what my diet looked like and I was eating like 2500-3000 cals (😱) to try and meet my protein goals - a big wake up call. The past 6 months I’ve been trying to dial in the nutrition. I know WHAT to do, it’s just executing it and maintaining. I found trying to meet my protein goals sometimes means I eat more cals, so being really intentional and planning has helped. And working on my sweet tooth since those little treats can take you right of a deficit
I think dialing this I will give you the results you’re looking for! Working with a nutritionist can help you figure it out. We have a group program starting in September — stay tuned for details.
It’s a great app though - I’m surprised more people don’t recommend it! Sometimes I’ll use it for a day or two to get a tally of cals and protein
Yes to all of this Mia!! I’m so excited to be on the other side soon! You’re an inspiration always!! I do want to know if you trained during pregnancy with Freya? And how important you think that is for getting your body back after you’re all done having kids? Elsie has a little sister coming in December and IM so excited but also can’t wait to try to get back in shape. Also hi Freya!! 💞
I did Pilates my whole pregnancy and I do think it helped!! If I had to do it again I would totally keep weight training. You’ve got this mama!!
😭❤️
Mia, this is SO inspiring. I’m going to look into getting the scan, pronto. At 46, I’m know I’m doing ok at some things, but have a lot of room for improvement in others. I got the Oura glucose sensor and it has made a huge improvement in how I eat over the last month—- very eye opening, and definitely has me wanting to do more. This is such a good roadmap, thank you. Xx
This is amazing!! Keep me posted. You've got this!! 💪
Is creatine only recommended for people who lift? Is there any benefit for my irregular workout routine?
Creatine is like an extra boost — you have to resistance train + eat adequate protein for it to be effective for muscle growth. Although there are other cognitive benefits being researched.
Downloaded the Fitbod app per your rec and it murdered my upper body today - in a great way!!! Thanks for the rec!!
Hell yeah! Get it, Nikole 💪
Mia - you're brilliant and congrats on the full ups! You are an inspiration, thank you for your excellent articles!
❤️
You inspired me a few months ago when you first mentioned the pull ups to do a push up challenge - I started at 10 (on toes) and am now at 25! I agree, it is so satisfying to see progress! Congrats on your hard work xo
25?! Wow!! That’s epic!! Looooove it!
I am so inspired!!! Do you do 3 full body lifts a week? Any chance you would be willing to share your workout routine?
Yes I do full body 3x a week and sometimes 1 Pilates class + walking daily. I have two programs I rotate through but my notes are kind of a mess. Will try to sort through and share!
This is all what I’m about!! Game changer for me was finding Evlo. It’s an app that creates your full week of routines to work every muscle the amount it needs for growth and it’s all taught by doctors of physical therapy. 10/10. Really took the guess work out of weight training which could have been something that put me off of it long term.
Love love love!!! I’ll check it out x
10 pull ups! Congrats! That’s so badass, Mia. Last year I lost 10 lbs in four months right before I turned 40 due to unexpected illness. I’m still recovering my health in lots of ways but my main fitness goal has been to regain muscle mass. Progress is frustratingly slow, but I’m staying steady it’s working. I’ve gained 6 lbs of muscle back so far! Question - Should I consider adding creatine even if my lifting is still quite light? My load capacity is much lower than pre-illness so the numbers on the weights aren’t high, but they feel heavy on my muscles as I rebuild.
Wow Rachel — I love your commitment. 6 pounds of muscle is no easy task. Yes to creatine!! Highly recommend. Please keep me posted xx
Rachael 🫠 sorry for spelling your name wrong
Amazing, thank you so much! I will! x
Love this and can relate so much! I'm 6 months postpartum and am getting a DEXA next week to check in on how my own muscle building is progressing. Since you were already such a healthy eater did you make any nutrition tweaks to help with this recomp success? I'm still full time breastfeeding and am trying to nail the carb and protein intake to maximize supply and recomp.
Congrats on your 10 pull ups!! SO badass
Hey Annie! Congrats on the little one! Love that you're already scheduled for a DEXA. Honestly, I have not changed anything about my diet, but I've been very consistent. When breastfeeding, it's really important to prioritize protein and pay attention to cravings. It gets easier as they get a little bigger and are less dependent on your milk, but every woman's experience is different. Keep me posted on your results! It's so empowering to get control of your body back after having a baby. xx
I am so inspired by this. Thank you for sharing. I am 12 months postpartum with my second, and have been on a similar journey. There is something so motivating about knowing you're on the other side of having kids!
Yesss!! Good for you. I love it. Keep me posted, mama ❤️💪
Loved this! I’m on a very similar journey so this really resonates.
❤️
Go Mia! I can literally vouch for you because I see you every week at the gym. Love that we have the same trainer and are getting after our big fitness goals. Strong = powerful (but I still hate those pull ups!)