Why Cardio Doesn't Cut It for Midlife Body Composition

Midlife women are waking up to the fat-burning myth that cardio is king.

I know how difficult it is to change or reclaim your body composition pre/post-menopause. So, this brief awakening article is for those of you who LOVE your cardio 👟 and still believe it’s the best way to take control of the hormonal weight gain most women experience.

Before I drop some suggestions, I want to reiterate that proper nutrition is the ultimate weapon for managing fluctuating numbers on the scale (and inches on your hips). However, I will stay in my ‘movement lane’ and share a few other essential choices to improve your cardio sessions for optimal physical results.

1. Build instead of Burn. Did you know that muscle burns more energy (aka calories) than any other tissue in your body, even at rest? True story - and the moral is to focus more on building muscle through weight-bearing activities rather than burning calories with cardio workouts. 

I know it sounds scary to give up the sweaty sessions, but trust me, and try it.  Science confirms that we lose 3-8% of muscle mass every decade after our 30th birthday, so there is no better time to start lifting some dumbbells. You’ll see a boost in your metabolism by prioritizing resistance training and moving with intention. 🔥

2. Cool Down and Walk it off. Suppose you exercise in a moderate to high heart rate zone for an extended period (over 30 minutes for most people). In that case, it’s imperative that you stop stressing your sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and start stimulating your parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) when you’re finished. If it’s hard to talk and you need to breathe out of your mouth more than your nose, don’t stay in that danger zone for too long. 

Let me briefly explain why a better option is to do shorter bouts of high-intensity cardio and more extended periods of low-intensity, like walking and casual bike riding.

The SNS is your fight-or-flight response, and the PNS helps you with rest and digestion. When the SNS stays in high gear (like during a long cardio workout), the stress hormone cortisol flies through (and fills) your body, and menopausal women don’t have as many helpful hormones (estrogen and progesterone) to combat the imbalance. The result is elevated blood sugar, high blood pressure, and weight gain - to name a few nasty symptoms.

So, focus on bringing your body back to homeostasis after burning calories. Cooling down with gentle stretches and rolling techniques will further help to relax your body for adequate recovery.   

3. Uplevel your Recovery with diaphragmatic breathing, mindfulness practices (prayers and gratitude do wonders), supplements like vitamin C and B5, and plenty of rest to stabilize circadian rhythms that high cortisol disrupts. Oh, and limit your alcohol intake for faster results…just a suggestion. ;)

You’ll find many other suggestions online about improving body composition, so feel free to Google and test what methods work best for you! Until then, be assured that you are wonderfully and fearfully made, regardless of size or shape! (Psalm 139:14).

As a reminder, properly preparing your body and mind for more intense movement sessions, whether cardio or strength-focused, is crucial. You’ll get that in The Well Stretched Life program, where we focus on mobility, core strength, and everyday movement patterns to stay active and safely progress. Members complete the system by building their own stretch and strengthen (S2) sessions using the knowledge and skills they acquired in the course. 

I appreciate your feedback and invite you to scroll through the blog posts to see how we integrate science and scripture for Full Well Living!  

Are you willing to let go of what used to work and embrace the new science...and season of life?