Working with all women, urinary incontinence is a weekly topic.

While men are not immune, mostly women suffer from this condition. Studies show that up to 43% of women age 37-54 experience some form of UI (NIH).

It’s not just an inconvenience; it can impact a woman’s confidence, social activities, and overall quality of life. The good news? There are solutions.

Urinary incontinence (UI) is any time there is unwanted loss of urine and there are several categories.

Understanding the type of incontinence you’re experiencing is the first step to managing it.

• Stress Incontinence – Leaking when coughing, sneezing, laughing, or exercising causes greater pressure than the muscles around the pelvic floor can handle.
• Urge Incontinence – Feeling a sudden, strong urge to urinate or all of a sudden you have the urge and you have to go right now.
• Mixed Incontinence – A combination of stress and urge incontinence.

How to Reduce and Manage UI

You don’t have to accept bladder leakage as a normal part of aging. Here are practical steps you can take:

Fix Lifestyle Habits: Address constipation, posture

• Drink enough water- you may need to add electrolytes to make sure the water is getting into the cells of your body. Concentrated urine in the bladder acts as an irritant. Being hydrated  also helps avoid constipation, which is a factor in UI.
• Eat 25-35 grams of fiber daily – for gut health and reduce constipation
• Exercise daily
• Use a squatty potty – be a “polite” potty sitter and don’t slouch.
• Stand up tall!​ Posture makes a difference because alignment influences pelvic floor function.

Know bladder irritants and behaviors

Food, drink and habits can irritate your bladder.

Watch What You Drink

• • Reduce caffeine, alcohol, and carbonated drinks, as they can irritate the bladder.
  • Consider writing in a journal to notice patterns. Write down what you eat and drink, what you are doing and how often you need to pee or have symptoms.

Bladder Training

• Talk to your bladder and let it know who is boss. Hahaha, I know this sounds weird, but the bladder is an organ susceptible to suggestion. Start telling it “No! I just went 30 minutes ago and haven’t even had 10 oz. to drink. There’s no way I have to go again.” Something to that effect.This technique has been shown to improve control in women with urge incontinence .
• Avoid peeing “just in case” Did your mother ever tell you to go before you left the house so you wouldn’t have to use a public restroom? Lot’s of moms did this and unknowingly trained their children to have urge incontinence.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Losing even 5-10% of body weight can significantly reduce UI symptoms, according to research from the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).

Try exercises: Kegels are not the only exercise.

Here’s a video from Kim Vopni​, The Vagina Coach, that you may find useful. ​

Urinary incontinence is common, but it’s also treatable. Simple changes like pelvic floor exercises, lifestyle adjustments, and bladder training can make a big difference.

A pelvic floor specialist can help to. There are many in the area and your insurance company may pay for those visits, so be sure to check into that.

What Comes to Mind When You Think About Strength Training?

Lifting heavy weights?

Building bigger muscles?

While strength training can help build muscle, its benefits go far just looking good.

It’s actually one of the best things you can do for your long-term health and vitality.

Why Strength Training is Essential at Every Age

The key to staying strong, active, and independent as you age is building and maintaining muscle.

Your 20s and 30s, (maybe even a little younger) is the best time build muscle. Your body responds well and quickly to stimulus.

In your 40s and 50s, it’s imperative to strength train in order to maintain your muscle.

In your 60s and beyond, you can still get stronger, but without intervention, your muscles take a big hit, leading to sarcopenia (age related muscle loss) and all the comes with it, for instance, type II diabetes.

Whether you’re in your 40s, 50s, or beyond, strength training plays a critical role in:

Supporting Bone Density & Joint Health

Strength training isn’t just about muscles—it strengthens bones and joints too. Weight-bearing exercises help improve bone density, reducing the risk of osteoporosis and fractures. Stronger muscles also stabilize your joints, lowering the risk of pain and injuries.

Enhancing Longevity & Independence

One of the biggest predictors of longevity is muscle strength. Research shows that maintaining muscle mass is directly linked to a longer, healthier life. Strength training helps you stay mobile and independent, so you can keep doing what you love—whether it’s gardening, playing with grandkids, or carrying groceries with ease.

Preventing Injuries & Improving Posture

Weak muscles create imbalances that increase the risk of injuries and chronic pain. Strength training corrects posture, strengthens stabilizing muscles, and helps prevent falls, strains, and back pain.

Keeping Your Mind Sharp

Strength training doesn’t just benefit your body—it’s great for your brain too. Studies show that resistance training enhances cognitive function, reduces stress, and improves mental clarity.

The Best Time to Start? NOW.

No matter your age, it’s never too late to start strength training. And the best part? You don’t need to lift super heavy or spend hours in the gym to see results. Just 2-3 days per week of resistance training can have a huge impact on your health and longevity.

Your future self will thank you!

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/09/130927092350…​

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5830901/​

Do you love to garden and you’ve noticed it’s not as easy as it used to be?

While gardening sometimes requires heavy lifting, bending, or pulling, it’s typically not enough to keep you “gardening strong” over the course of your life. It might leave you feeling sore and overworked the next day.

That’s where strength training comes in.

By keeping your muscles strong  you can keep doing what you love in the garden with more ease, less pain, and a lot more energy.

Here’s how a few simple exercises can help with specific garden tasks—so you can dig, plant, and prune without paying for it later.

Protect Your Knees While Planting and Weeding

If you’ve ever knelt down to plant flowers and then had to strategize how to get back up, you’re not alone. Strengthening your legs can take the pressure off your knees and make it easier to move from ground to standing.

Try these exercises:

• Squats
• Lunges
• Step-ups

These help build lower-body strength and improve balance—so you can crouch down without hesitation and stand up with confidence.

Lift and Carry Without Straining Your Back

Hauling bags of mulch, moving planters, or even carrying the hose around the yard requires more strength than it used to. Strengthening your arms, shoulders, and core helps you lift more safely—and reduces the risk of that nagging back ache later.

Try:

• Bent-over rows
• Shoulder presses
• Planks (for building deep core strength)

Build Endurance for Digging, Raking, and Pruning

Gardening isn’t just about strength—it’s also about stamina. Those repetitive motions like digging, raking, and pruning can wear you out if your muscles fatigue easily. Training your grip, arms, and back can help you keep going longer with less soreness.

Include exercises like:

• Deadlifts
• Farmer’s carries (hold two weights and walk—great for grip and posture)
• Wrist curls (to support forearm and wrist strength)

A Little Goes a Long Way

Just 2–3 short sessions of strength training each week can help you feel stronger, more balanced, and better prepared for everything from spring planting to late-summer harvests.

It’s not about lifting the heaviest weight in the gym. It’s about being strong enough to live well—to enjoy your garden, walk your dog, go to the movies with friends, or chase your grandkids without needing a recovery day.

Strength training is your quiet investment in the life you want to keep living.

Let’s make sure the garden isn’t the only thing thriving this year—you should be, too.

Many women in their 50s start noticing weight gain that seems to settle around the belly, even if their eating habits haven’t changed. It’s frustrating and confusing—and for some, it leads to the conclusion, “My metabolism must be broken.”

In reality, metabolism doesn’t break. It changes. These changes are real, but they are not the end of the story.

Why Weight Gain Happens in Midlife

As women move through their 40s and 50s, their bodies undergo several shifts that influence how fat is stored and how easily it’s lost:

• Hormonal fluctuations, especially during and after menopause, lead to lower estrogen levels. This shift promotes fat storage around the abdomen.

• Loss of muscle mass naturally occurs with age, especially without strength training. Less muscle can impact strength, mobility, and body composition.

• Activity levels tend to decrease, sometimes without notice. Many women find themselves sitting more due to work, caregiving, or joint discomfort.

• Poor sleep and disrupted sleep cycles are common in midlife and can directly affect weight regulation. Studies show that lack of sleep disrupts hunger hormones like ghrelin and leptin, increasing appetite and cravings, particularly for high-calorie foods (Taheri, et al., 2004).

• Increased life stress, including caring for aging parents, job demands, or financial pressures, can elevate cortisol levels. Chronic stress leads to increased abdominal fat storage due to dysregulation of the HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis and elevated cortisol (Tomiyama, et al., 2011).

Additionally, non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) plays a huge role in weight management. NEAT refers to the calories burned through activities that aren’t formal exercise, such as walking around the house, cleaning, or even fidgeting. As we age, our NEAT can decrease, which has a significant impact on total calorie expenditure (Levine, 2004). Therefore, small daily actions—like taking the stairs, gardening, or walking around during breaks—can help offset the effects of reduced structured exercise.

These changes are not signs of a failing body. They are signs that your body is adapting—and that it requires a new, more supportive approach.

Well-Meaning Habits That Backfire

It’s common to hear statements like:

• “I hardly eat—why am I still gaining?”

• “I’ve cut carbs completely and nothing is changing.”

• “I guess this is just what happens when you get older.”

These responses often come from frustration and misinformation. Eating too little, skipping meals, or eliminating entire food groups can leave you fatigued, undernourished, and more prone to rebound eating. Restrictive eating also fails to address the root causes of fat gain, like hormonal shifts, stress, or inactivity.

What Actually Supports a Healthier Body in Your 50s

1. Start building strength
   Strength training supports bone density, preserves muscle mass, and improves body composition. Just three sessions per week using bodyweight, resistance bands, or dumbbells can make a significant impact.

2. Increase daily movement
   You don’t need long, structured workouts to make a difference. Everyday activities like walking the dog, gardening, cleaning, or taking the stairs contribute to what’s known as non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT). These small movements throughout the day can significantly support energy balance and help reduce fat accumulation over time.

3. Prioritize protein
   Protein supports muscle health and helps you feel satisfied. Include protein at each meal—sources like eggs, Greek yogurt, beans, chicken, or tofu are excellent choices.

4. Improve your sleep routine
   Aim for 7–8 hours per night. A consistent sleep schedule, a dark cool bedroom, and limiting screens before bed can help regulate sleep patterns. Better sleep supports hormone balance and helps reduce cravings. If you have trouble staying asleep talk to your doctor about menopausal hormonal therapy.

5. Manage stress levels
   Chronic stress affects more than just your mood. It impacts digestion, sleep, hormones, and eating behaviors. Deep and focused breathing techniques, journaling, walking outdoors, or even 10 minutes of quiet can help reset your nervous system. This is a good time in your life to practice the art of saying “no”:)

6. Focus on progress, not just the scale
   A shrinking waistline or looser clothing often tells a more accurate story than the number on the scale. Celebrate increased strength, better energy, and improved confidence.

You Are Not Broken—You Are Adapting

Your body is responding to a new phase of life. While it may feel unfamiliar, you are not powerless. With a shift in strategy, you can regain strength, feel more in control, and achieve a healthy body composition—without workouts that crush you or forever skipping a slice of birthday cake.

References:

• Taheri, S., Lin, L., Austin, D., Young, T., & Mignot, E. (2004). Short Sleep Duration Is Associated with Reduced Leptin, Elevated Ghrelin, and Increased Body Mass Index. PLoS Medicine, 1(3), e62.

• Tomiyama, A. J., Dallman, M. F., & Epel, E. S. (2011). Increased stress and the accumulation of abdominal fat: Effects of chronic stress and HPA axis dysregulation. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 36(2), 204-212. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23500173/

• Levine, J. A. (2004). Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT): Environmentally induced thermogenesis, and its potential applications for weight control. Nutrition Reviews, 62(11), 401-411. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1753-4887.2004.tb00013.x

• Tryon, M. S., DeCant, R., & Laugero, K. D. (2013). Having your cake and eating it too: A habit of comfort food may link chronic social stress exposure and acute stress-induced cortisol hyporesponsiveness. Physiology & Behavior, 114–115, 32–37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2013.02.018​

Time-restricted eating (TRE) focuses on when you eat rather than what you eat, typically limiting food intake to a 6–10-hour window each day. For women who often face shifting hormones, increased life stressors, and increased health risks, TRE offers a simple yet impactful way to take control of your health.

One of the most compelling benefits of TRE is improved insulin sensitivity. A pilot study presented at the American Diabetes Association’s 2022 conference found that women with prediabetes who followed a 9-hour eating window for 12 weeks experienced better blood sugar control and insulin sensitivity—even though they did not lose significant weight. This is especially encouraging because insulin resistance tends to increase with age, raising the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Inflammation is another area where TRE shows promise. A 2024 systematic review published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition revealed that time-restricted eating may help reduce markers of chronic inflammation, such as TNF-α and leptin. Chronic inflammation is linked to a range of age-related health issues, including heart disease, joint problems, and even cognitive decline.

Sleep quality may also improve with TRE. A 2023 study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine explored how TRE influenced sleep patterns in adults who typically stay up late. Participants who shifted their eating to earlier in the day reported falling asleep more easily and experienced more restful sleep overall. Quality sleep plays a vital role in mood, memory, and metabolic health.

Beyond the physical benefits, TRE can simplify your daily routine. Eating within a set window reduces the number of decisions you need to make about meals and snacks, which can ease mental fatigue. It may also encourage more mindful eating habits, as you become more aware of your hunger cues and food choices.

The best part? TRE is flexible. You can tailor the eating window to fit your lifestyle, whether that’s 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. or 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. The key is consistency. Giving your digestive system a true break each day may be one of the easiest ways to support long-term health.

As we head into Memorial Day weekend, it’s easy to think of it as the unofficial start of summer. We look forward to time with family, cookouts, and maybe even a little travel, but underneath all of that, this weekend carries a deeper meaning—a moment to pause and remember the sacrifice of those who gave their lives so we could enjoy the freedoms we do today.

One of those freedoms is the ability to choose how we live—how we care for ourselves, how we show up for others, and how we move through the world.

That’s why I believe taking care of your body is a powerful way to honor that freedom.

The choice to take care of your health through purposeful movement and exercise (like resistance training, going for a walk or a sprint)  doesn’t come from a place of pressure or guilt.

It isn’t about doing something just because someone else says you should. It’s about choosing to move because you can.

​

You have the freedom to do gardening tasks (have you laid down any mulch recently?) , to pick up your grandchild with confidence, or to hike a steep trail in the woods so you can take in the view without worrying that your knees will hurt.

Exercise isn’t just about reps and routines. It’s about strength for the life you want to live. It’s about being able to do the things you love—without fear, without hesitation, and without having to sit on the sidelines.

This weekend, I encourage you to take time to move with purpose. That could mean a walk around the block, a few strength exercises (lunges, squats, push-up, band rows)  in the living room, or even stretching after a long car ride.

Whatever it is, let it remind you that your body is worth taking care of—not just for today, but for all the days ahead.

Thank you, especially, family members of fallen service men and women. A day doesn’t go by that I don’t appreciate the freedom we have in the United States because of the men and women who sacrificed everything.

Sitting and inactivity has become engrained part of our society.

We start out sitting in a car seat as babies, move to a desk and chair in school and then to a cushy chair at a desk in the office.

Unfortunately, our society as a whole, has forgotten that we are built to move and to move often not to sit all day.

We equate middle age with weakness, aging with ailment, and being a senior citizen with frailty, but we aren’t designed for that…we’ve “life styled” our way into that.

Luckily, we can change our  inactive, mostly sitting lifestyle to one of “Fitness Lifestyle”

Here’s why we want to have a Fitness Lifestyle:

Regular movement, especially strength training, walking, and mobility work, has powerful benefits.

• Improves heart health and circulation
• Helps regulate blood sugar and insulin levels
• Lowers blood pressure and improves cholesterol
• Builds and maintains muscle mass
• Boosts metabolism and promotes fat loss
• Strengthens bones and joints
• Improves posture and balance
• Enhances mental clarity and mood
• Reduces stress and improves sleep
• Increases energy and endurance
• Supports immune function
• Preserves independence and mobility
• Improves confidence and body image

and, as a reminder of why you don’t want to continue the “Sitting Lifestyle”:

Lack Of Activity (and becoming over fat) causes:

• Increased risk of chronic diseases
  (e.g., heart disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers)
• High blood pressure and cholesterol
• Insulin resistance and blood sugar issues
• Joint pain and inflammation
• Fatty liver disease
• Reduced immune function
• Hormonal imbalances
• Sleep apnea and poor sleep quality
• Low energy and fatigue
• Mental health challenges
  (e.g., depression, anxiety, low self-esteem)
• Decreased mobility and flexibility
• Higher risk of falls and injuries
• Reduced quality of life and independence

You can start today and improve the quality AND quantity of your life

How many times have you told yourself, “This time I’m sticking with it”—only to see your new workout plan fall apart a few weeks later?

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Many women struggle to turn exercise into a lasting habit and one of the biggest reasons is that they rely too much on willpower.

Interestingly, willpower is a limited resource. You wake up with a certain amount of mental energy, and every decision, stressor, or distraction throughout your day drains that tank.

Research backs this up:

• A landmark study by Baumeister et al. (1998) found that willpower functions like a muscle—it can get fatigued after use. This phenomenon is called ego depletion.
• Studies from Stanford University suggest that people who succeed at long-term behavior change don’t necessarily have more willpower. Instead, they build systems and routines that reduce the need to rely on willpower in the first place.

To turn exercise into a sustainable part of your life, you need more than just determination. You need structure, support, and a strategy.

Here’s what works better than willpower alone:

• Set up your environment for success. Lay out your workout clothes the night before. Keep dumbbells and resistance bands in sight, prepare your post workout shake & coffee maker the night before – anything to make it easy to get started.
• Start small and stay consistent. Research shows that small, consistent habits are more likely to stick than dramatic changes that burn you out in two weeks. This is not an “All or Nothing” habit.
• Tie exercise to an existing routine. This technique, called habit stacking, helps your brain form associations (e.g., walk right after your morning coffee).
• Plan ahead. Choose the days and times you’ll exercise—and treat them like important appointments.
• Use social accountability. Join a class, hire a trainer, or find a friend who’ll check in with you. Knowing someone’s expecting you makes it harder to skip.
• Track your progress. Seeing improvement—even in small ways—builds momentum and motivation. I’ve put together a simple habit tracker you can download here and post it on your refrigerator or bathroom mirror – where ever you will see it regularly.

Remember: It’s not about being more disciplined. It’s about making it easier to follow through—even when your willpower is running low.

Because when you build smart systems, you won’t need to “push through” every time. You’ll just show up—and that’s where the magic happens!

I’ve been thinking about how I love going into the studio because I love working with my clients.

The human connection, bonding and a shared experience that I love and  machines just can’t give us this feeling.

While AI is taking over, apps with the latest workouts are easily available and  social media Influencers are everywhere, none of these can take the place of being in the same room and connecting with other women in real time, real place, and real life.

People need people. Even introverts like myself need to be around other people. We are energetic and that energy transfers between people.

Human to human connection seems to be getting more infrequent and I know some of you think that’s a good thing, but it’s not good. We all need to feel the energy and connection.

Every day I leave the studio, I feel better for being there, and so do my clients.

Her Fitness clients don’t benefit just from the workout, they (me included) benefit from being a part of the community, even if it’s only a few hours per week.

Walking is an important form of exercise, but it, and other forms of general activity, does not protect you from age related muscle loss.

Women often will tell me how they are very active – gardening, walking, playing with kids, hiking, etc., but it’s not enough to keep your muscles from atrophying.

When you are in your 60s and 70s the rate of muscle loss is about 1% per year if you are not actively trying to prevent muscle loss through progressive resistance training (weight training/strength training/resistance training).

“The most active eighty-year-olds have, on average, only about 1 kilogram more muscle mass than the least active people.” *

I know 80 year olds who are like lumps on a log and 80 year olds who are constantly moving about. It seems a bit unfair that the movers and shakers keep only a couple more pounds of muscle than the lumps, but none-the-less, there you have it!

See the image below comparing a 21 year old with a 63 year old who have the same Body Mass Index (a measure of height and weight). It’s fair to say the 63 year old does not lift weight, otherwise the quality and amount of muscle would be greater.

Ideally one would start progressive resistance training when they are in their teens, but the next best time to start lifting weights is now because everyone can increase their muscle!

Years ago (as short as the early 1980’s) scientists thought that any strength gains in people in their 50s and 60 were purely neural adaptation. Now, however, we know that muscle fibers can grow in size with proper training.

Growing your muscle or keeping what you’ve got is critical to your vitality and health. Gaining muscle will reduce your risk of many age related conditions such as :

• diabetes, because more muscle increase insulin sensitivity
• heart disease, because more muscle helps maintain high levels of good cholesterol
• cardiovascular disease, because more muscle consumes more oxygen, increasing aerobic capacity*

If you are interested in staying fit and healthy for the long run and you don’t want to lose any more strength, reply back and find out more about my Beginner’s Class (especially for women over 60)

*Stronger. Gross, Michael Jospeh