💡✨💪 "Women Aren't Small Men" – Dr. Stacy Sims 🧠💥 (from her TED Talk)

Let’s get real for a second: how many times have you followed fitness and nutrition advice, only to feel like it’s just not working for you? You’re doing the workouts, watching what you eat, but something feels... off. Here’s the kicker—it’s not you, it’s the advice. Most of the time, it’s written for men! Crazy, right?

In her powerful TED Talk, Dr. Stacy Sims dropped a truth bomb: "Women are not small men." The reality is, most research on exercise, nutrition, and health has been done on men—and a lot of it on obese men. Shocking, isn’t it? We’ve been fed advice based on research that doesn’t even represent our bodies, especially during perimenopause and menopause.

Here’s what you need to know:

The exercise and diet plans out there are based on studies that don’t consider women’s unique biology—our hormonal cycles, how we respond to stress, and the changes we go through in midlife. The assumption that we’re just smaller versions of men is flat-out wrong, and it becomes even more crucial to address this when our hormones start shifting in perimenopause.

Hormones change everything

During perimenopause and menopause, our estrogen and progesterone levels start to dip, and that changes how we build muscle, burn fat, and even how our metabolism functions. Following generic fitness advice doesn’t cut it for us—it’s time we take an approach that works with our bodies, not against them.

So, what should we do?

• Strength Training is Your Best Friend: As we lose estrogen, we’re more prone to losing muscle mass. That’s why lifting weights and doing resistance training is crucial. Focus on lifting heavier weights (don’t worry, you won’t bulk up!) to maintain and build muscle, keeping your bones and body strong.
• Protein, Protein, Protein!: Dr. Sims emphasizes the importance of protein, and I couldn't agree more! Aim for 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. This is essential to maintaining muscle mass, boosting metabolism, and keeping energy levels high.
• Train Smarter, Not Harder: Long, exhausting cardio sessions? Forget them. They’re often not effective for us. Instead, short bursts of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and focused resistance training are far better. Not only do they help burn fat more efficiently, but they also help stabilize blood sugar, which is crucial as our hormones fluctuate.

Listen to Your Body

One of the best things about this stage of life is learning to really tune into your body. We don’t have to (and shouldn’t!) beat ourselves up to get results. It’s about working with our bodies, not against them.

Remember, you’re not a small man. You’re a woman who deserves health and wellness advice designed specifically for you. It’s time to embrace this, adjust your fitness and nutrition to suit your unique body, and thrive in this stage of life.

If you’re a woman over 40 who’s struggling to get results and feeling frustrated, I’d love to help! I’m offering a free health and fitness chat to the first two people who DM me. Let’s get you on track to feeling your best!

You’ve got this! 💪

💖 Lisa xox