Uncover the Truths and Myths Surrounding Leaking, Belly Fat, Carb Consumption, and More
By Cheryl Coppa
Today I get to be the Myth Buster. How fun!
Have you ever watched that show? I watched it with the kids back when it was first shown. How these guys would do different experiments to see if the myth was busted or not. It was always interesting.
When it comes to midlife, as women, there are certainly many as well. I encounter them all the time. How many times have I heard the phrase “Oh just wait until you are 40…50…60…70…”. I’m not waiting for anything, but rather adapting and changing as my body changes. I do this with myself, my clients, and the women of Ola Ka Ola who are all in this age range. If you have been following our blogs, you would have done much reading on HOW you should shift your training at midlife and beyond, but let's get right down to the myths! Let’s go through the lineup of the big one and see if the myth is busted or not.
Leaking Urine When you Laugh, Cough, Sneeze, or Jump is Normal
This is something that most women believe is just something that happens after a baby, after 40, or for sure after menopause. While this is something that is extremely common, it is NOT normal! It is a sign of a dysfunction. It is your check engine light going on letting you know some repairs, or tune-ups need to be done.
Spoiler alert - it is NOT kegels! Read about why that is. Bottom line - this is not normal, and you can completely reverse this. I’ll just group these other symptoms in this myth as well since the solution is the same:
Low back pain
Hip pain
Pelvic pain
Painful sex
Frequent urination
Not being able to empty your bladder completely.
All a myth busted wide open! This is a core and pelvic floor issue. With proper training and rehabilitation work, you can restore strength and function. We have a very detailed, personal program for this.
Weight Gain and Belly Fat are Inevitable
While we can not deny this happens, let's talk about WHY it happens and what you can do about it.
From estrogen to progesterone to testosterone, your body’s chemicals are experiencing a lot of changes. If you don’t change with it, then yes we notice things like gaining weight easier, especially in the belly area. Managing hormones can really take you on a journey, let's start with the first step.
With all these changes, especially if you are NOT actively working out, you are losing muscle mass and bone density. The loss of muscle mass is going to make the weight pile on that much quicker and easier. Allowing your muscle mass to just fade away, will definitely slow the metabolism down. It’s often said in my field of study and by physicians and human biologists that the quickest way to age and slow the metabolism is to do nothing.
So this is happening, all these changes, what CAN we do to slow this process?
First, we are going to have to pay attention to what we are eating and fueling our bodies with. All the fad diets or the way you were eating before might have to make a small shift. Your body is different now, chemically different. I’ll tell ya for sure, starvation is not the answer. You will need proper fuel! If you can make one simple starting step in the nutrition department it would be to pay attention to how much protein you are taking in. To keep your muscles around you need to FEED them! Aim for protein at every meal !! This will also keep you full and satisfied longer, so you will more likely snack less. This will also give you more energy.
Secondly, we NEED to work out. So many times women fall into what is MYTH #3
“I’m Too Old to Work Out”
Is this the biggest myth out there or what!? Myth, this is definitely a myth! The older you are, the more important it is to START working out. That is if you are interested in your quality of health and life. Things such as :
✔️ Independent living.
✔️ Being able to carry your own groceries, and lift your pets, and grandchildren.
✔️ Play with your pets, kids, and grandchildren on the floor.
✔️ Able to open a door that is frozen shut (if you have winters, you know, this is a real thing!).
✔️ Creating bone density to protect your bones from a break!
✔️ Keeping balance to hopefully prevent you from falling.
✔️ Keeping your energy levels UP, so you can keep up with life!
✔️ Keep your lungs strong so you are not breathless with the small tasks, and so they are strong should you encounter a virus.
Maybe it would have been ideal for you to start this 10 or 20 years ago, but the next best time is NOW! You can feel better, you can move better, it's all still attainable and you can be 100% in a better place if you start. We have a special start for women who are coming into this later in life and need a safe, guided way to begin, check that out here LET’S START PROGRAM
You Should Not Do Cardio
This was a topic we covered in the past two blogs. Definitely a MYTH! Heart health is crucial for women over 40, so a strong healthy heart should be a priority. We just ‘cardio’ a little differently. We take our cardio to a different format, it is called “HIIT'' so this just means you are working in short bursts of time. In other words, you are not doing constant movement for however long as you would do on a treadmill, rower, or bike. In addition, when we “HIIT'', we are also working on strength and mobility. You come to a “cardio/HIIT“ class at Ola Ka Ola you are going to get your heart rate UP, your lunges pumping, and your muscles burning. This is important because cardio, especially over 40, 50, and beyond, is not the solution for FAT LOSS. All that strength training is needed for those cardio bursts for all those reasons I mentioned above in the prior myth. You need to feel what I am talking about - more on that HERE
You Need to Stop Eating Carbs
There are a lot of diets out there, and they are exactly that, diets. Diets serve a purpose. As women over 40, eliminating carbs is not going to solve your problems. This might even encourage a poor relationship with food. The healthier way to think about this is maybe just to eat more REAL food and avoid processed food. It's not really carbs that are the enemy, it is sugar and processed foods. Part of a healthy lifestyle is establishing this way of thinking. Food as fuel or food as medicine. Food does not have to be a crutch or a negative topic of discussion. I know this can run deep for many as food habits and relationships with food can even stem from childhood. Thankfully, we have this sort of support right here in our community at Ola Ka Ola as well. If you can make peace with food this will make your midlife journey much easier.
We are in a different body now after kids, after 40, after menopause. This absolutely does not mean you just live with the aches, the pains, and even a feeling of blah and shame. Yes, your body is different now, so you just have to be a little different. Move the ways your body needs and craves. Listen to aches and pains as they are telling you where you need support!
You just need to be revived. You can discover and unleash a new level of strength and feeling good. I see women clear the path and find this feeling.
Are you tired of being sick and tired? Going into the new year, I hope you find this, have the courage to take the first step, because you deserve it.
About Cheryl Coppa
