Here are 3 mistakes every woman over 40 needs to avoid.

Technically, these are 3 mistakes everyone who wants to improve their body composition and get leaner needs to avoid.

But women are more sensitive to stress so they can't get away with as much.

It's not fair but it does make sense from an evolutionary standpoint. Women are more important to the survival of our species than men. Ya know, the whole baby carrying thing.

Anyway, in no particular order...

Mistake #1. Fasting or "skipping breakfast" - let's first put to bed the myth that fasting is superior for fat loss. It's not. Fasting isn't even a nutrition protocol. You can fast and do keto, you can fast and track macros, you can fast and eat 10,000 calories per day.

The fasting cult followers say that if you condense the feeding window, you're more likely to eat less because there's less time to eat. Certain things sound good in theory but don't hold up to real life application.

Fasting is one of them. Studies show that people who fast tend to eat a lot more later in the day and it's easier for them to over indulge. They also report higher hunger and cravings. And there are certain metabolic disadvantages that can occur due to fasting.

This is especially true in women over 40 who are more sensitive to stress. Cortisol is highest in the morning and fasting is a stress on the body (lack of energy coming in). During the season of life when hormonal changes are happening, it's not the time to disrupt things even further.

My recommendation: wake up and eat within an hour of getting out of bed. Make it a high protein breakfast and a well balanced meal (with some carbs and fats) to reduce cortisol and keep blood sugar stable.

Mistake #2. HIIT / Group Classes / Cardio - this is a dose dependent thing but based on experience in working with hundreds of women over the past decade, a lot of individuals overdo it when it comes to this style of exercise.

I'm talking about OrangeTheory, F45, bootcamps, HIIT, cardio, etc. Anything where the main goal of the workout is basically a manual "calorie burn" and you often feel rewarded with a pool of sweat on the floor.

Now, before you stop doing all forms of cardio, there's absolutely a time and place. Improving your cardio capacity is great for overall health. Sweating is a wonderful thing.

However, it's easy to get hooked on the feeling. Or high on believing. Wait, where was I? Oh right.. too much cardio.

This style of exercise is not exactly great for your metabolism or hormone health. It's a stressor like any form of exercise (increases cortisol) but it doesn't come with a metabolic advantage like lifting weights does. Because you're getting more efficient with calories each time you do that same workout or form of cardio.

That means the calorie burn gets less and less. Not only that, but studies show that HIIT and cardio can drive hunger and cravings up and our bodies also subconsciously move less throughout the day to compensate for the calorie burn that occurred during the workout.

My recommendation: this style of training is not great for body composition improvements. If you want to get leaner, do some form of resistance training as the foundation of your workouts. Use cardio in smaller doses and be sure to pay attention to recovery, hunger, and cravings. Notice how you're impacted when you work out like that.

If you're training to get better at cardio (like running a marathon or ironman etc) then you'll obviously need a much higher level of frequency. In that case, you better be prepared to fuel appropriately to counter balance the amount of stress you're putting on your body.

Mistake #3. Dieting too frequently / too extremely / unsustainably - once again, this is a problem across the board but when you're more sensitive to stress, it becomes an even bigger issue.

Dieting is a major stressor on the body. Consider that your results, your metabolic health, and your hormone health are all dependent on having the appropriate resources to meet the demands you place on your body.

Food / energy is an important resource. Recovery is a resource. Sleep is a resource. Self-care is a resource.

Dieting impacts all of the above. You're removing energy, impairing recovery, making it more difficult to get adequate sleep, and potentially sacrificing self-care.

A lot of women get frustrated when they're told to basically starve themselves and then don't see progress. Why don't they see progress? Because the diet is too extreme and your body fights to preserve energy.

Think about it like this.. do you really want a fast and effective metabolism when very little energy is coming in? Of course you don't. You'd starve to death quicker.

So your body adapts by down regulating metabolic function, suppressing certain systems in the body like immune function, sexual function, etc.

The more frequently you diet, the more stress you place on your body. The more extreme your diet is, the more of a stressor it is. The more you try to be perfect, the more unsustainable the results are.

My recommendation: diet smarter, not harder. Have a dedicated fat loss phase that lasts about 12-16 weeks (the timeline will be highly dependent on the individual). Keep it very moderate and if you're going to be more aggressive, you better damn well have recovery and stress management on lock.

Eat mostly high quality foods and incorporate things you love in moderation each day (or at least each week). Avoid the half in, half out approach where you kinda sorta diet but then indulge and want to keep dieting forever.

Unfortunately, these 3 mistakes are insanely common.

In fact, they're often all done at once.

Almost daily I speak to women who are trying to fast, eat 1200 calories, and are doing a whole bunch of cardio or HIIT.

When you reach that season of life when hormones are changing and sensitivity to stress is higher, it's important to focus on some foundational habits that go a long way in your overall health and body composition.

Food quality should really be a primary focus. It's incredibly important for hormone health.

Walking is like the gift that keeps on giving. Do it frequently.

Protein is your best friend. Eat lots of it.

Muscle is your metabolic gold. Preserve it. Build it.

Sleep and stress management are non negotiables. If anyone gets in the way of your sleep and self-care, you have permission to Will Smith them (is that still a reference? Probably not. But I'm using it anyway).

Above all else, prioritize yourself. I just spoke to someone this morning who said that she's spent 45 years of her life putting everyone else first. She said that she's always made financial decisions based on everyone else. Rarely ever herself.

Finally, it clicked. She said, enough is enough. I'm worth it and I deserve to be happy and healthy. The most impactful thing she said in our conversation was...

"It doesn't do anyone much good if I lack confidence in myself and feel miserable in my own body. I deserve to feel good and look good."

Without a doubt. You don't have to put your own goals on hold for the sake of everyone else. Not only do you deserve to look and feel how you want but the people you care about the most deserve the best version of you.

And that requires prioritizing yourself. Investing in yourself. And spending your time accordingly.

If you don't know where to start, simply ask. I can always point you in the right direction.

Much love, Kayli

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In an interview with Vegan.com, Virginia Messina, MPH, RD, commented on her disdain about the documentary “What the Health.” She said, “As a vegan health professional, I am sometimes mortified to be associated with the junk science that permeates our community. . . . I’m disheartened by advocacy efforts that can make us look scientifically illiterate, dishonest, and occasionally like a cult of conspiracy theorists. I wish What the Health had stuck to these kinds of observations and supported them with an informed discussion of the evidence. Instead, it cherry-picked the research, misinterpreted and over-stated the data, highlighted dubious stories of miraculous healing, and focused on faulty observations about nutrition science. Most of the misinformation in the film is due simply to a poor understanding of nutrition science and research. But some moments struck me as overtly dishonest.”

Vegan diets have clout, especially if you're pursuing them for moral reasons. Many people that take on vegan diets have been doing so to try and honor animals and protect them from inhuman treatment. That is a very good reason to transition to the vegan lifestyle. The way you eat, however, does not determine your moral character. Should you choose to use your nutrition as a way to express your beliefs and values, I think that's great. That does not give you permission to judge people that don't hold the same views as you. I, also, believe in the moral treatment of animals and am a huge animal lover. However, I feel better eating animal products and I do my due diligence to only source my animal products from sources that treat the animals in humane ways.

The problems that have arisen from this new vegan movement are blatant fear mongering and dogma. We have seen a radical portion of the vegan population touting claims that meat causes cancer, fat leads to diabetes and sugar is not unhealthy. These claims are inherently false. These radicalists have cherry picked information in order to incite fear in people in order to "recruit" more people to their way of life. Time Magazine wrote an article breaking down all of the false claims that were touted in What The Health. The film did get some elements correct, it wasn't complete bullshit. However, they definitely overly inflated a lot of their claims to try and claim their dietary lifestyle was far superior and healthy to other dietary modalities. If you're interested in another great article debunking the film, I would check out this great article on Vox. The article refers to the film as "sensational" and I couldn't say it any better.

You can read the full article yourself at Vegan.com. The point is, you cannot take one piece of material as gospel. Especially when the people funding and creating the piece have a bias. Usually if there’s a bias, there is also fearmongering, cherry picking, and a ton of dogma. There are perks to plant based diets for SOME people. That doesn’t make it right for ALL people. Not ALL meat causes cancer. Sugar DOES cause health issues. Fat does NOT cause diabetes.  Always do research and check all of your sources. Look at both sides. To be honestly open to learning and growing as a person, you have to listen to both sides and take them both seriously. Otherwise you are deciding on something with a bias rather than a decision rooted in education and evidence.

I didn’t realize I did this until recently.

A fat loss coaching client asked me how to know when they’re “overeating” or if they’re just simply… enjoying a meal.
When they’re dieting, when is it “right” or “wrong” to have that burger and fries they’ve been craving?

Or to go off plan for a day because they're taking their kid to an amusement park?
Or to enjoy a shot and a few drinks with their best friend?


Basically, how do you balance the gray area of enjoying life and staying on your diet?

I emailed them back and said there are two ways I look at meals:

1. Priority = Fitness Goals
I only see it as “overeating” if your intention for that meal is to stay on track with your diet because fat loss/health is a higher priority to you in that moment. Therefore, you’d be “overeating” simply because you had a calorie goal you wanted to hit, but this meal pushed you over. It’s NOT good or bad, it’s just what happened, objectively.
NOTE: you can also "fit in" these high calorie meals and stay on track with your goals.

2. Priority = Enjoyment/Life Satisfaction
I don’t think it’s overeating if your intention is to enjoy the life experience of eating that meal with friends, your S.O., or by yourself. Then it’s just simply… eating. You decided that fat loss isn’t as important to you for this meal, and that’s ok, so you shouldn’t feel guilty because you aligned your actions and intentions around what YOU thought was most important.
So over these next few weeks, give yourself permission to commit to one, but neither are “right” or “wrong.”

The whole point is to make sure it’s a conscious choice, not an impulsive one.

Take inventory on what’s most important to you in that moment, act on it, then move on with your life.

Hope you found this helpful.

-Kayli
P.S. I'm really enjoying this article on "How to Do Great Work".

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​Detox has become quite the buzz word on social media.  Everyone talks about how life changing detoxes are for your health and fitness.  I’m not sure I buy into all of that.  Usually the word “detox” means diarrhea, and of course you lose weight because there’s no more food in your gut and you’re super dehydrated.  NOT HEALTHY.  Most detoxes, especially those that you’ll find marketed on social media, are not healthy nor are they necessary.  If you want to do a good healthy detox, here’s 9 healthy, full body detoxes.

1. LIMIT ALCOHOL-Drinking too much alcohol reduces your liver’s ability to carry out its normal functions, like detoxing.  You should be limiting alcohol intake to one drink per day for women and two per day for men.  Also, alcohol is a Class C carcinogen, so do with that what you will.
   
2. FOCUS ON SLEEP-Adequate sleep allows your brain to reorganize, recharge and eliminate toxins that accumulated throughout the day.
   
3. DRINK MORE WATER-Water allows your body's detoxification system to remove waste products from your blood.
   
4. REDUCE YOUR INTAKE OF SUGAR AND PROCESSED FOODS-Excess junk food consumption is linked to chronic diseases like obesity and diabetes.  Those conditions cause harm to your detox organs like liver and kidneys.
   
5. EAT ANTIOXIDANT-RICH FOODS-A diet rich in antioxidants helps your body reduce damage caused by free radicals and may lower your risk of diseases that can impact detoxification.  These foods include berries, fruits, nuts, cocoa, vegetables, spices and coffee or green tea.
   
6. EAT FOODS HIGH IN PREBIOTICS-A diet high in prebiotics keeps you digestive system healthy, which is important for proper detoxification and immune health.  These foods include tomatoes, artichokes, bananas, asparagus, onions, garlic and oats.
   
7. DECREASE YOUR SALT INTAKE-Consuming too much salt can increase water retention.  You can eliminate excess water and waste by increasing your intake of water and potassium-rich foods.  Potassium rich foods help counterbalance some of sodium’s effects.  These foods include potatoes, squash, kidney beans, bananas and spinach.
   
8. STAY ACTIVE-Regular physical activity lowers inflammation and allows your body’s detoxification system to work properly.
   
9. EAT SULFUR-RICH FOODS-Foods high in sulfur enhance the excretion of heavy metals and enhance the function of glutathione which is a major antioxidant produced by your body.  These foods include onions, broccoli, garlic and eggs.
   

Reading those 9 detoxes should have taught you a key factor about your body.  Your body is mostly a self cleaning oven.  Your organs and systems are designed to move toxins out of your body.  You don’t need a detox, you need to optimize your systems, organs and their function.

 What exactly is your Metabolism & what does it do for you? 

Imagine your body is like a machine that needs fuel to run, just like a car needs gasoline. Metabolism is like the engine of that machine. It's the process in your body that turns the food you eat into energy that your body can use.

You see, every time you eat something, your body breaks down the food into smaller pieces called nutrients. These nutrients include things like carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Your body uses these nutrients to do different things, like helping your muscles move, your brain think, and even your heart beat.

Now, think of your metabolism as the way your body converts these nutrients into energy. It's like a factory inside you that takes in the nutrients and turns them into the energy your body needs to function. This energy helps you do everything from running and playing to growing and even sleeping!

The metabolism is always working, even when you're sleeping or sitting still. It's a busy process that happens in every cell of your body. Some people have faster metabolisms, which means their bodies convert food into energy more quickly. Others have slower metabolisms, so their bodies convert food into energy more slowly.

Different things can affect your metabolism too. For example, when you exercise, your metabolism speeds up because your body needs more energy. That's why it's important to eat healthy food and stay active, so your metabolism can work efficiently and keep you feeling good.

So, in simple terms, metabolism is like the engine that converts the food you eat into energy for your body. It's what keeps you going and helps you grow strong and healthy!

8 Simple Ways to Speed Up Your Metabolism:

Your metabolism doesn’t slow down due to age until your reach your 60s

If it does slow down it’s due to a significant change in your lifestyle.

The most common reason being you lost muscle & your actions led to a slower metabolism. 

     1. Stop crash dieting.

• Dieting too aggressively increases stress on your body which can trigger adaptive responses that slow down calorie burning during exercise & rest
• Over time, you end up down-regulating thyroid + insulin sensitivity = slowing down your ability for fat loss.
  
  
• 2. Build Lean Muscle.
• Simply adding 7 pounds of muscle to your body can approximately increase your BMR(the calories your body burns at rest) by 53 calories per day.
• Doesn’t sound like much? 
• 53 calories x365days = 19,345 calories.
• In 1 year you’ll burn the equivalent of 5.5 pounds of fat just from having more muscle. 
  
  3. Get in 8-10k steps/day
• The average American gets less than 4k steps on average. This isn’t enough. 
• If you can get 8-10k steps/day you’ll burn 300-400 calories/day just by walking.
• You’ll improve your mood, lose fat, support a healthy metabolism, & live longer as well.
  
  4. Sleep at least 7 hours per night.
• Any improvement in sleep quality & duration will make a big impact.
• Poor Sleep…

          - Alters glucose metabolism(you can’t handle carbs)
          - Increases appetite + cravings
          - Decreases energy expenditure
      5. Drink ½ your BW in oz of water per day.

• You’re probably dehydrated. This makes you tired, hungry, dumber, and more prone to injuries.
• Studies have shown drinking 17 oz of water can increase metabolic rate by 30% and regulate your appetite. 
  
  6. Eat 1g of Protein per 1lb of bodyweight.
• High protein diets support muscle growth, improving metabolic health.
• 30% of the calories you eat from protein are burned off during digestion, you burn more calories each day.
• Protein is the most satiating macro. You’ll eat less junk.
  
  7. Sit Less, Move More
• Get up and move as often as you can-even if you lift but sit behind a desk all day, you are at risk of metabolic & cardiovascular issues from prolonged sitting.
• Fat loss enzyme(lipase) slows down with inactivity. 
• Cognitive + metabolic function plummet. 
  
  8. Simplify & Execute. **MOST IMPORTANT**
• “Do as little as possible to elicit the most amount of change.”

– “Mind Pump Adam”

• Pick one healthy habit to improve on at a time. A wealth of options leads to a poverty of focus.

You’re probably a little confused right now . . . Let me break it down for you.

I have clients that struggle terribly with allergies and asthma.  They’ve tried everything.  Expensive allergy testing shows no allergies.  NONE.  Believe it or not, the problem may not be allergies, it may be issues with the gut.

It may sound crazy that your gut health would affect your sinuses, but the two systems are very intertwined. Both the respiratory tract and the digestive tract are immune barriers, meaning it’s their job to protect the body from outside invaders.

The gut in particular profoundly influences the entire immune system. When gut health suffers so does the rest of your body. This can even result in allergy symptoms that flare up each spring. 

Leaky gut, also known as intestinal permeability, is a condition in which the lining of the digestive tract becomes inflamed and porous, allowing undigested foods, bacteria, yeasts, and other toxins into the bloodstream. The immune system launches an attack on these toxins, which creates inflammation throughout the body. For many people, this happens every time they eat.

This inflammation manifests in different ways for different people.  Gut symptoms don’t have to be present to suffer from inflammation caused by leaky gut.  It can cause joint pain, skin problems, digestive complaints, autoimmune disease, issues with brain function, fatigue, chronic pain, asthma, and…seasonal allergies.

Chronic stress also weakens and inflames the digestive tract, causing leaky gut. Stress doesn’t just have to come from a stressful lifestyle or lack of sleep, although those certainly play a role. Eating a diet high in sugar, fried and processed foods is stressful to the body, as is an unmanaged autoimmune disease, or hormones that are out of whack. These are just a few metabolic factors that can contribute to leaky gut.

If you need help managing chronic conditions or gut health, shoot Coach Kayli or I a DM. We’d be happy to jump on a coaching call with you to discuss your issues and help you get to the root cause.