Women over 40 shouldn’t do intense workouts. don’t lift too heavy, don’t do hiit, don’t run. Those workouts will spike your cortisol, cortisol is making you gain belly fat. And suddenly you’re wondering, wait, oh no. Is my workout making me unhealthy? Yes, exercise can temporarily increase cortisol, but that doesn’t automatically mean something bad is happening to your body. That is a normal physiological response. It does not automatically mean your workout is damaging your hormones. When did we start teaching people, in particular women, that challenging their bodies was something they should be afraid of? Maybe the question isn’t Will this workout raise my cortisol? Maybe the better question is, is this workout appropriate for me and am I recovering from it? your body is not so fragile that a challenging workout is automatically a hormonal emergency.
All right. Welcome back. Hey, everyone. Welcome back to the Vanessa Carlton fitness podcast. This is episode 15. Now I was initially going to talk about one topic, but I’ve changed my mind. And that’s okay. I’m Doctor Vanessa Carlson, physical therapist and founder of Vanessa Carlton Fitness, where we help busy women become stronger, healthier and more confident 1% each day without spending hours in the gym.
So question for you. You motivated listeners. Have you ever been scrolling through social media? And this is why I decided to change the topic for today and heard something like, women over 40 shouldn’t do intense workouts. Or maybe that’s a conversation you’ve had, or don’t lift too heavy or don’t do hit, don’t run. Those workouts will spike your cortisol, and cortisol is making you gain belly fat.
How about them apples, right? And suddenly you’re wondering, wait, oh no. Is my workout making me unhealthy? Ladies, come on, let’s talk. We need to talk about this because yes, exercise exercise can temporarily increase cortisol, but that doesn’t automatically mean something bad is happening to your body. And I certainly don’t want women becoming afraid of challenging themselves. Which is why I wanted to chat about this today.
Just because of being afraid, just because of something they heard on social media or on TikTok in a 32nd video. Right. Today we’re going to talk about cortisol, what actually happens when you exercise and whether women over 40 really need to be afraid of working hard. All right, guys, but before we get into the science, I do have a question for you.
I want to know something that maybe you have been told that a certain kind of exercise was bad for women over 40. And I do have a little preference in this number because I’m in that bracket. So have you heard of something that was bad for women over 40 because it would spike up your cortisol? Was it running?
Was it hit? Was it heavy lifting? Maybe someone told you you should only walk, only do gentle exercise. Tell me in the comments, because I generally want to know how many women have heard this. Because if you heard it, you’re definitely not alone. Okay, even back when I had my gyms over, we had two women’s gyms. We even had a coed gym over the span of ten years.
And I remember just people, women having these conversations, things that they were seeing online. All right, guys. All right, ladies, let’s dive in first. What exactly is cortisol? Right. What is cortisol? It seems to be a hot topic. Cortisol is a hormone produced by your adrenal glands. Right. And despite what you may have heard, cortisol is not a bad hormone.
You need cortisol. It plays a role, especially in your body. Stress response, your metabolism, your blood pressure, your immune system and helping make energy available. Right? It’s all about the energy when your body needs it. So the goal isn’t how do I eliminate cortisol? And I feel like that’s what’s happening. Like cortisol bad cortisol bad bad bad bad bad.
And it shouldn’t be. How do I limit it. Cortisol. You don’t want to eliminate it. Your body needs it. Now here’s where the confusion starts. I think exercise, yes, is a form of stress. And that sounds bad. I feel like the character from the cruise. Bad, bad, bad bad. But it does sound bad until you understand that not all stress is harmful.
When you challenge your body, your body responds. Your heart rate increases, your breathing increases, your muscles are working harder, and depending on the intensity and duration, cortisol can temporarily increase to. That is normal a normal physiological response. Repeat after me. That is a normal physiological response. It does not automatically mean your workout is damaging your hormones. I’ve had women, even friends, who became genuinely nervous and stressed out about their workouts, about working hard.
And they’ll tell me, Vanessa, I heard I shouldn’t do intense exercise anymore because I’m over 40, or I heard heavy lifting is going to raise my cortisol. And I understand why they’re confused. I mean, we’re in the information era. There’s a lot of information out there because when you hear the same message over and over, you start wondering if there’s something you should be afraid of.
But I don’t want fear. False evidence appearing real, determining how you move your body. I want there to be education and appropriate exercise to determine how you move your body, education and appropriate exercise to help you to determine right. We want to learn how to determine how to move your body. Here’s the distinction. Here’s what I want you to pay attention to. Here’s the distinction.
I want you to understand that there’s a difference between your body’s normal short term response to exercise, and living in a state where you’re chronically overwhelmed, right? Even just saying that, I feel like I need to take a deep breath. Right. So there’s a difference between exercise living in a state, a short state response versus where you’re living in a state where you’re chronically overwhelmed and you’re not recovering well.
I also know the difference because I actually experience this firsthand for myself. And exercise was actually exercise helped me during this time to de-stress, but also addressing the situation and the person that was causing this ongoing stress needed to be addressed so that things could change, right? So that’s just a little personal experience. My state during my workouts versus the situation and season that I was experienced, those are two separate conversations.
They’re not the same conversation. They’re not. And that’s what I want to relate to. Those are not the same conversation. So I have another question for you. Let me ask you something. When did we start teaching people, in particular women, that challenging their bodies was something they should be afraid of? Where did this come from? Right. Don’t misunderstand.
I am not against low temple workouts. They are needed at times. Shoot mat Pilates and reformer Pilates is what got me started. Teaching group exercise 20 plus years ago in Pennsylvania. If you’re appropriately prepared, if the exercise is appropriate, right? The intensity, the duration for your health and fitness level. And if you’re recovering and you’re progressing, progressing intelligently, why should turning 40 suddenly mean you’re incapable of working hard?
Maybe the question isn’t Will this workout raise my cortisol? Maybe the better question is, is this workout appropriate for me and am I recovering from it? That’s a much better conversation. And this is where individualization matters, right? I get so many phone calls from people all over the US. We do one on ones doom training, virtual live coaching, and it it really depends.
That’s why I really encourage people to take advantage of our $1 reach and rise assessment, where we have that initial consult. So I can really understand the season of life they’re in, what they’ve experienced before, their medical history. What are their goals? What are their time constraints? What are the stresses in their life? All of that matters. Individualization matters.
Say that word ten times. Because I’m also not saying everyone. Everybody should go out tomorrow and do the hardest workout ever, right? That doesn’t make sense. They should not. I’m not saying that to go do the hardest worker that you can possibly find. Please don’t do that. Your training history matters, your current fitness level matters, and when I do that reach and rise assessment I’m trying to figure out come along with you, see what is your foundation?
What’s our baseline look like? Previous injuries matters. Your sleep matters. Your overall health matters, your medications may matter as well. And most likely they do. How they affect your body and your ability to recover matters. I have a client now who is 65 and at times lives in Florida and at times lives in Maine, and she has worked out with various trainers.
She’s had other trainers, and we are now nearing our third month working out together, and she recently told me that she’s feeling stronger in all the right areas. Woo hoo! This is huge, right in all the right places. And we’re she said something along the lines of, I like that. We’re also working the finite muscles as well as mixing in other things besides lifting.
Right. And I asked her to just elaborate, like, what does she mean by like, she’s being you strong, feeling strong in all the right places and that we’re working more the finite muscles. And she explained that with her previous trainer and her previous experience, sometimes the sessions were so intense that it would take her days to recover and she would actually hurt, like her body would hurt.
So what’s my point? Exercise should challenge you, but appropriately. And that’s very different from simply trying to just destroy yourself every workout. Okay, so let’s talk about strength training because this is one area where I really don’t want women becoming afraid. Right. I’ve seen it, especially when we had our women’s gyms, women in their middle age or retired and just scared to lift, whether it was with a machine, a cable, a freeway, a kettlebell.
As we get older, maintaining strength and muscle becomes incredibly important. I want to slam the table. Maintaining muscle becomes incredibly important. Strength training can help us maintain muscle. Support your bone health. Improve your balance. Improve physical function. Right. Going up and down the stairs carrying your groceries and continue doing the activities that you love.
So when a woman stops challenging her muscles because she’s afraid that lifting weights might temporarily raise cortisol, I think we’re missing the bigger picture. I’ve worked with women who initially thought they needed to be careful simply because of their age. Then we started strength training appropriately. Right. Give your body what it needs and it will take you places.
So we made sure that it was appropriate. We were. The workouts were appropriate. Progressive, right? We were progressively changing things. We were safe. Maybe we modified certain movements. Maybe we started lighter. Maybe we changed the range of motion. Maybe we gave them more recovery. Everyone’s body is so different. It’s figuring out what they need, meeting them where they’re at, and just one workout at a time.
One workout at a time. Right. And gradually they became stronger. Whether they were in their 30s 40s 50s 60s. Even had a gal in her 80s. Right? Something that used to be heavy became easier. Stairs became easier. Carrying groceries became easier. Travel. Seeing their family, their loved ones, their friends became easier, life became easier, and they felt good. Don’t you want to feel good?
Right? That’s what I don’t want women missing out on now. Could you overdo exercise? Absolutely right. If you’re constantly training extremely hard, not sleeping, not eating enough, never recovering, and constantly feeling exhausted, that’s worth paying attention to. Of course, you can have the adverse effects that we don’t want, but the answer is it necessarily. Women over 40 shouldn’t exercise intensely.
The answer may be we need to look at the whole picture, right? Your training and your environment. Recovery, nutrition, sleep, stress and your individual health. When I’m working out with people, I’m looking at what to do. They have resources to so that their workouts are simple, doable, and fun because of their stressing out. And it’s not simple and it’s not doable.
They’re not going to do it. So you have to look at the whole picture. And also remember, your body is not so fragile that a challenging workout is automatically a hormonal emergency. I got to tell you, but your body is also not a machine, right? Not a mackinac that you should constantly run it into the ground. There’s a balance, challenge and recovery.
That’s how we become stronger. I always tell my clients. Recovery is where the magic happened. I had to learn that firsthand when I did my physique show, to give my body the rest it needed so it can break down right fat, build the muscle, and recover. So can I encourage you getting older? Does it mean you have to become afraid of your body or afraid of this number?
Your body is incredibly adaptable. It can learn. You say that my body can learn. It can respond. My body can respond. Well, it can become stronger. Yes, my body can become stronger. And yes, sometimes we need modifications. That’s okay. Modifying and exercise is more than okay. It doesn’t mean you’re weak. It means you’re training intelligently. Let’s be smart, right?
Let’s work smarter, not just harder. Working hard is not bad, but let’s be smart about it. And ladies, there’s something else I really want you to hear. Intensity is relative, right? What’s intense for one woman? Maybe easy for another. A brisk walk may be appropriately challenging for someone just beginning. Right, who’s really not walking for another woman. It might be a heavy set of squats.
For someone else. It could be intervals on a bike. That’s why blanket statements like women over 40 should never do intense exercise, guys. It doesn’t tell the whole story. We need to look at the individual. That’s why when I meet with people one on one via our zoom live sessions, it’s so crucial for me to get to know them and understand their baseline, their environment, their history.
So my goal for each of my clients and everyone I work with is to meet them where they’re at. To get them to where they want to be. Right. Think about two women who are both 50 years old. One has been strength training for 20 years. Let’s say the other has an exercise in ten years. Should they do the exact workout?
Of course not. I mean, yeah, okay. They’re the same age. So what? But they’re not the same person, right? They don’t have the same background. They’re not at the same level. They’re the same age, but they’re not the same person. That’s why your program should be based on you, not simply the number. Get. Don’t worry about the number on your birthday cake.
Right. So here’s my final question for you. What is something you’ve stopped doing because someone made you believe, or something made you believe you were too old for it? Was it lifting heavy running, jumping a hit workout? Playing a sport, trying something new? Or maybe you simply started being afraid to push yourself. If you’re comfortable sharing, tell me in the comments below.
What would you love to feel confident doing again? The answer isn’t that you can never do it. Maybe you simply need the right progression, the right guidance to get there. Here’s your challenge this week I want you to stop asking is this exercise going to spike my cortisol and start asking better questions? Is this appropriate for my current fitness level and am I progressing gradually?
Am I recovering? Am I sleeping? Am I nourishing my body? Do I feel stronger over time or am I feeling beat up and I can’t get back to it another week, right? If you’re not sure. Work with the qualified health care or fitness professional who can help you make those decisions. Don’t feel like you have to do it by yourself.
Nobody comes out of the womb knowing these things, right? Don’t let fear based information make the decision for you. Guys, I truly, truly believe God created our bodies with an incredible ability to adapt, to move and to grow and become stronger. Getting older is a gift. I’m going to say that again, getting older is a gift. It’s not a punishment.
And I don’t want fear keeping you from using the body God has given you. Train wisely. Recover. Listen to your body. Ask for help when you need it, and don’t assume that your strongest days have been behind you. Gosh, how depressing is that? My goodness. All right, so if today’s episode made you think. Share it with another woman who’s maybe become a little afraid of challenging herself because of something she heard about cortisol.
Or maybe it’s just information in general. It’s like information overload. She may need to hear that there is more to the story. And if you’re thinking, I want to get stronger, but I’m not sure where to start, what exercises are appropriate for me. That’s exactly the kind of thing I help women with, because what we do at VC fitness is so unique with our personal training and live virtual coaching, we offer the initial consult for our reach and rise assessment for only a dollar.
It’s only a dollar if we works out great and if not, it only cost you a dollar and you got some valuable information. I love to walk alongside you. Just visit Vanessa Carlson to learn more about our one on one coaching, live virtual training, and supportive community. Or you can reach out to us at (207) 467-5509. Thank you so much for spending time with me today.
And if these episodes are encouraging you and helping you become healthier, I’d love to have you join us. Consider subscribing so you don’t miss future conversations. Definitely share with a friend so that you can. They can also hear the future conversations that we release. We release new episodes every weekday and I’d love to continue this journey with you.
All right, guys. Until next time, keep moving. Keep smiling. Keep getting stronger. Remember, your body isn’t something you need to be afraid of. Challenge it wisely. Give it time. Be patient to recover. Never assume you’re too old to become stronger. God bless you and I’ll see you in the next episode. And we’re going to talk about why you keep starting over every Monday.
All right, guys, on till next time. Ciao for now.
Vanessa Carlson, and I am the owner of Vanessa Carlson Fitness. I am Raider Carlson and I am the general manager. At VC fitness our first goal is our fun first approach with all of our clients. Working out should not feel like a punishment at all, and we strive to make it the highlight of their day. The workouts are tailored.
I love using my background as a doctor, physical therapy to make sure that we’re meeting our clients where they’re at, to help them to get to where they want to be. And I think the third thing is the accountability and communication. So not only do we have one on one sessions with our clients in person and via zoom, but with the app, we are communicating with our clients almost on a daily basis so that they feel confident.
Those companies don’t have a doctor of physical therapy on staff. And so obviously Vanessa is a doctor of physical therapy and highly sought out around the country. And that brings me to my next point that we are the highest rated, the most reviewed personal training company in Portland, Maine, where our headquarters are located. However, we train virtually nationwide through zoom, through live zoom sessions, and so it doesn’t matter where you live.
You can work with Vanessa. And then the third thing is our very first session with Vanessa is only a dollar. We call it the region rise assessments, where basically it’s a meet and greet where she looks at your body using her Doctor of physical therapy skills to make sure that you’re getting the most out of your session and make sure that it’s a good fit for you.
I mean, obviously, we know that we can work with anybody, but obviously it’s got to be a good fit for you. So when I was a child, my grandmother had breast cancer and I was very close with her and was with her for a lot of her appointments with chemo, radiation, all the things and kind of seeing how that affected her.
And I just knew early on I wanted to do something to help people with their health. I didn’t really know what that was going to look like. Fast forward as a child, I remember getting my first Barbie workout video working out with Dance Barbie, and that just was a core memory for me. It closed the door, worked out, felt great, and then fast forward some more.
I knew that I wanted to do something in the health and medical field, and had really great mentors and teachers that helped direct me where I knew I wanted to have a gym one day. I didn’t know how I was going to look, and we had our opportunity. As I was a physical therapist to open our first gym, I just went for it and just really wanted to help people learn how to take care of their bodies.
I just knew that fitness was my passion. And just over the years, it just all worked out together. And here we are. The rest is history. So here’s the thing you don’t have to figure this on your own. And I totally understand how exercise can be overwhelming. We all know that we need to eat healthy and exercise and work out on carve time for it, and don’t feel like you have to know it all.
Do it all by yourself. And even if you’re feeling unmotivated, know that you’re not alone. So my my message to you is surround yourself with someone who is motivated. For someone that is passionate about exercise and eating well and building a positive habits, good healthy habits. I don’t know how to paint, but if I want to make a canvas painting, I’m going to go to a place that the person is a great teacher and passionate about it.
And I’m going to come out with a beautiful painting. Same thing with this. Take the shame. Take the pressure off of your shoulders. You’re not alone in this. Many people I work with all the time don’t know where to start, and I am honored to come alongside and help you figure it out. And just start building that momentum and get in your stride.
And I promise you, you won’t regret it. So anything that we’re saying resonates with you. Don’t wait. Just call the number. Or you can put your information on our website and someone will get. Get back in touch with you very, very quickly. I mean, you got to do it so fast and you don’t know what you’re doing because your mind, which I get in the.
So don’t let them get in the way. Only it’s only $1 to try, Vanessa. And it might be the most impactful hour in 15 minutes of your life. Here at VC fitness for your first consultation, it’s only $1. The assessment is going to just go over some things that are on your heart. Give me a good idea of your body awareness, your mechanics and see if we are a good fit and it only costs $1.
So you can find us at BC fitness. Or you can call the number (207) 467-5509. Again, that is (207) 467-5509. And you can look at us and VC Fitness dot live. And one more time you can call (207) 467-5509. And we are waiting for your call.