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Mini Pause #94: HITT vs. SIT: The Smart Woman’s Guide to Sprinting After 40

Posted on by stephanie-estima

I read a stat recently that stopped me cold: 95% of people never sprint again after age 30.

And yet, sprinting — true high-intensity work — is one of the most powerful ways to preserve lean muscle, boost fat metabolism, and improve mitochondrial health in midlife.

For women navigating perimenopause or menopause, sprinting isn’t about speed or punishment. It’s about preserving power. The ability to move, recover, and thrive — not just survive.

Before you freak out and stop before you start, sprinting does not necessarily mean running.

If running isn’t for you, sprinting can happen on a rower, a bike, or any cardio machine you love. You will never beat a CAROL Bike for sprint training, and since that’s what I use for my sprints, it’s what I use as the example in the article below.

In this article, we’re going to dig into the differences between HIIT and SIT training, and I’m going to do my very best to bust your fears and myths around sprinting so you can kick butt and reap the benefits.

HIIT vs SIT: What’s the Difference?

High-Intensity Interval Training is what you’re used to doing to get your heart rate up high and fast, and then take a quick breather in between bursts. And I’ll tell you right now that the HIIT classes at the gym are not true HIIT. PMC

Sprint Interval Training is maxing out your max-out. You’re going as hard as you physically can, and then pushing a teensy bit past that to keep yourself honest. Your work is shorter, recovery is longer, and you’ll curse the day you read this blog… until you’re done. Then you’ll send me a fruit basket. MDPI

Here’s a quick guide you can screenshot for later when you question whether I actually told you to go 100%.

HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training)

Intensity: 85-95% of max effort
Duration: 1-4 minutes
Recovery: Equal or shorter rest
Feel: Hard, controlled

SIT (Sprint Interval Training)

Intensity: 100% all out
Duration: 10-30 seconds
Recovery: 2-3 minutes
Feel: Brutal, exhilarating

 

Both HITT and SIT raise VO₂ max (your body’s ability to use oxygen efficiently) and both are far more time-efficient than steady-state cardio.

The main difference is effort. HIIT feels tough. SIT feels like your soul briefly left your body. (Don’t worry – it always comes back.)

Why Sprinting Is So Effective for Midlife Women

Okay, so you’re still not convinced that sprinting is for you. I got you.

Have you ever hated the taste of something and then come around to it when you realized how good it makes you feel? People have this phenomenon with protein powder, collagen, creatine, electrolyte powders, and even some standard fruits, veggies, and meats.

There’s a switch that flips in the brain where your brain can convince your body you like it because it’s good for you.

We’re going to do that right now.

Here’s a whole bunch of ways sprinting is going to give you a leg up on life:

Fat Loss & Hormones
Sprints trigger adrenaline and noradrenaline surges that mobilize fat stores and increase growth hormone. They also stimulate myokines like IL-6, which direct fat breakdown toward working muscles for fuel. PubMed PMC

Better Glucose Control
HIIT and SIT improve insulin sensitivity by upregulating GLUT4 transporters. Think of them as doors that help glucose enter muscle instead of fat tissue. PMC Translation: less belly fat, better energy.

Mitochondrial Upgrades
Intervals drive mitochondrial biogenesis… literally creating new, more efficient mitochondria. Studies show a 25–35% increase in mitochondrial content after just six sessions. Cell power, baby! PMC

Preserving Type II Muscle Fibers
Sprinting recruits and maintains fast-twitch muscle fibers, which decline with age. These fibers keep you stable, strong, and metabolically flexible. PMC

Who Is Sprinting For?

In the same way I wouldn't have a newbie in the weight room start with a barbell back squat, I wouldn’t start a new sprinter on SIT. I’d hit them with a HIIT to build tolerance and technique.

Once you master HIIT, you can layer in SIT if you enjoy very intense work (I knew we were friends for a reason!) with a laser focus on recovery. PMC

I personally do Norweigan 4x4s (see below for more detail), which is a form of HIIT training every Monday, and SIT intervals on Thursdays.

There Are No Prizes for Punishment

Now, for all my Type A’s reading this, more isnt always more. I want you to think about flirting with and dating sprinting and Zone 5 cardio, but falling deeply in love and in a committed relationship with Zone 2.

You shouldn’t be sprinting every day. 1-2 sessions per week TOPS is all that is required. Don’t be a hero. It will only hurt you in the end.

Remember cortisol will rise with effort and duration.

Both HIIT and SIT are acute stressors in a good way. If you are adhering to no more than 2x/week and using recovery as the levers for adaption, congratulations, you get a gold star in your chart! Anything more than that and we are risking injury, sleep quality and chronic cortisol elevation.

Why the Bike Wins

Cycling is the gold standard for HIIT and SIT – especially in midlife. It’s low-impact, easy to scale, and safe for joints. SpringerOpen JOSPT

I use the CAROL Bike and will likely never use anything else because it’s just that magical. It’s an AI-powered system that personalizes resistance, monitors your VO₂, and automatically adjusts intensity in real time.

It’s like having a cardio personal trainer who never forgets your data or your recovery window.

Copy my workout and do 4×4 Norwegian Intervals on the CAROL Bike:

4 minutes hard (85–95% HR max)
3 minutes easy recovery
Repeat 4 times

How to Sprint on a Bike

Let’s break it down even further into a 20-25 minute HIIT workout.

Step 1: Fit
Make sure the bike is fitted well to your height.

You want knee flexion ~25–35° at the bottom of the stroke. Your legs should not… I repeat… should NOT ever be full extended.

If your saddle is too low it can increase patellofemoral stress (the notch where the kneecap sits in the thigh bone). If it’s too high it can irritate hamstrings and calves because they are being pulled too long during each stroke.

Adjust and make sure you are comfortable before you go hard.

A good rule of thumb is to stand next to the bike and set the seat at about hip height. Then you can make some micro adjustments if needed from there.

Step 2: Warm-Up
Nice and easy, just getting your legs, lungs, and brain ready for what’s to come.

Aim for 5-8 minutes.

Step 3: Main Course
Hit those Norweigan 4x4s. They’re a classic VO₂ max builder and my current obsession. PubMed

Step 4: Cool Off
Crank it down to a very easy cycle to recover.

Step 5: Progress
After 4-6 weeks of rocking this workout, add in 1-2 intervals or raise the work intensity by amping up your wattage slightly.

I personally prefer to raise my baseline wattage and keep the 4×4 pattern. I’m here for a good time, not a long time.

 

Strength Is the Other Half of the Equation

HIIT and SIT are only half the story. The other half is the working the type 2 muscle fibres that only strength training can give you.

You need strength training to protect the joints, tendons, and fast-twitch fibers that make sprinting sustainable. PMC+1

That’s where LIFT comes in – my evidence-based strength program for women in midlife.

Two to three LIFT sessions per week build the scaffolding your body needs for resilience and recovery.

So, if you’re looking to work out 4-5 days per week, it might look like this:

Monday: HIIT Sprint
Tuesday: LIFT Upper Body
Wednesday: Active Recovery Day
Thursday: SIT Sprints (or HIIT if you’re building up to SIT)
Friday: Active Recovery Day
Saturday: LIFT Lower Body
Sunday: Optional Additional LIFT OR Active Recovery Day

Recovery Is a Training Skill

Protein. Sleep. Rest days. You can’t out-sprint your recovery capacity.

Take at least three days between sprints, avoid back-to-back HIIT sessions, and honor the “Push, then Pause” cycle. Your fascia, hormones, and nervous system will thank you.

It can be a bit of a psychological block for some, but in the spirit of saving your joints from injury, learn from my mistakes. I have totally been that fool who didn't think she was subject to the laws of human mechanics and blasted through my maximum recoverable volume and poof! Injured.

The Takeaway

Sprinting is not a young woman’s game. It’s a longevity strategy.

It trains your mitochondria, your muscles, and your mindset to handle intensity and recover from it.

Start where you are. Use a smart tool like the CAROL Bike. Build your base with LIFT.

And remember: You’re not chasing youth. You’re training for power.

 

WHAT I'M LOVING THIS WEEK

LVLUP Health – Hormone Harmony

When my hormones first started shifting in perimenopause, I felt like my body had changed the rules overnight. I was doing everything “right” – lifting, sleeping, eating well – but still felt off.

If you’re nodding your head along with me, I want you to give Hormone Harmony from LVLUP Health a go.

It’s not a band-aid. It’s a systems-level formula that supports estrogen metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and cortisol balance so your hormones actually cooperate again. It’s helped me (and so many other women) feel steady, focused, and like ourselves again.

Use code DRSTEPHANIE for 15% off at LVLUP Health.

 

Young Goose – Youth Reset Serum¹

As estrogen dips, our skin loses collagen, elasticity, and that luminous “I’ve got this” glow. Annoying? Yes. Doomed? No way.

Young Goose’s Youth Reset Serum rebuilds skin from the inside out by restoring NAD⁺ and cellular energy – the same pathways I’m always going on about for muscle and brain health.

With spermidine, copper peptides, and resveratrol, it triggers real regeneration, not just surface hydration. My skin feels stronger, more resilient, and a little defiant of the aging script.

Use code BETTER for 10% off at Young Goose.

 

Timeline Nutrition – Mitopure²

You can’t out-hustle mitochondrial decline – trust me, I tried.

Mitopure from Timeline Nutrition helps renew your mitochondria through urolithin A, a compound that literally cleans out damaged energy cells and replaces them with stronger ones.

Since taking it, I’ve noticed better recovery, fewer afternoon crashes, and steadier energy. It’s like giving your cells a performance tune-up… and who doesn’t want that in midlife?

Your energy deserves this upgrade. Choose from Timeline Nutrition Mitopure’s gummy, softgel, or powder form, and use code BETTER for 20% off your first order.²

 

🌟 Love these recommendations? Find more resources to support your health in midlife in my Health Toolkit!

 

 

Disclaimer: The information included in a newsletter, email, or on drstephanieestima.com is intended solely for educational purposes. It does not replace a direct relationship with your licensed medical provider and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Affiliate Disclosure: Products mentioned in a newsletter, email, or on drstephanieestima.com, may be part of an affiliate agreement in which Dr. Stephanie Estima receives a small commission on the sale of an item you purchase.

Notes:

1. Dr. Stephanie’s Young Goose code works for all orders, not just one-time purchases. Ships globally except to Spain. Code cannot be combined with other promotions.

2. Timeline: Ships to the US, CA, UK, Switzerland, Germany & France. For Prime Day this is only available in the US. Dr. Stephanie’s code works for onetime use or subscription.

 

 

Mini Pause #71: Why Are Women So Afraid to Build Muscle?

Posted on by stephanie-estima

TL; DR (Too Long; Didn't Read)

Women often shy away from muscle building due to misconceptions around bulkiness and outdated beauty standards.

We unpack where this came from, why being skinny is not a good look in midlife (and beyond), and why this can be detrimental to our health as we age.

Strong>>>Skinny!

WHY

The pursuit of being “small”—primarily through excessive cardio—can lead to detrimental long-term health effects, especially as we age.

Being small in midlife—if I may be so frank—is just not a good look.

But prioritizing muscle isn't just about aesthetics; it's essential for your health, longevity, and overall quality of life.

The bulking myth continues to persist, and I see it taking many different shapes: even in the new wave of women embracing weights, we still see women eating small quantities of food, doing too much cardio, and shying away from lifting heavier weights or muscle growth.

I had a woman on Instagram tell me recently that building muscle means we have to eat soooooo much food!! If we just focus on strength, then you can have strong muscles, but they won’t be big!

😳 I found this incredibly bizarre and alarming. What is wrong with full, round, juicy muscles on a woman?

What is wrong with eating to give your muscles a reason to grow?

And then I realized it's the fear of being too big / too bulky / too much, but it has presented now as a different form.

WHAT 

1. Misguided Beauty Standards: Today's mainstream beauty ideals, heavily influenced by media and celebrity portrayals, rarely showcase women with pronounced muscle definition.

Popular culture often celebrates being skinny with minimal muscle visibility, reinforcing the idea that muscles detract from femininity. We see it on trashy magazine covers, the “before” and “afters,” or when medications like GLP-1s are intentionally mismanaged.

This widespread portrayal of skinny over strong contributes significantly to misunderstandings about what a truly healthy, strong female body can and should look like, leading many women to undervalue strength training and muscle development.

I personally want my glute-sized shoulders and a quad sweep that makes grown men weep. I LOVE it when I can see my muscles. I have a few goals in life: be a better mother to my kids, learn to perfect a winged eyeliner, and to be jacked and tanned.

All still a work in progress. 😉

2. The Bulk Myth: Many women fear becoming bulky from strength training.

The irony, of course, is that this is so very unlikely for 98% of the female population. Building significant muscle mass is extremely challenging for women.

Women naturally produce significantly lower levels of testosterone, the primary hormone responsible for muscle growth, compared to men.

Additionally, while essential for health, female hormones like progesterone don't significantly contribute to muscle hypertrophy.

Muscle building in women typically results in improved shape, enhanced strength, and vital protection for bones and joints—not bulkiness. I have been trying to get jacked naturally for years now—and it hasn’t happened yet… although a gal can continue to dream!

3. The Language Trap: Common phrases like “long and lean” or “toned” misrepresent how muscles actually function and adapt.

Muscle length is genetically predetermined, with specific origin and attachment points on the skeleton that remain constant throughout life.

Training can and will certainly influence muscle strength, overall size, and visible definition by affecting muscle fiber thickness and body fat levels.

However, NO exercise or stretching can physically elongate muscle beyond its genetically set parameters. Understanding this helps dispel myths that often discourage women from engaging in effective strength training.

And don’t even get me started when I hear “long, lean, and toned” all together in one sentence!

4. Muscle as a Long-Term Investment: Unlike rapid fat-loss strategies, building muscle is a gradual and strategic process that requires:

  • consistent strength training;

  • proper nutrition, including sufficient protein for muscle repair and growth;

  • balanced carbohydrate intake for energy;

  • adequate healthy fats for hormone production;

  • quality sleep for optimal recovery’

  • targeted supplementation to address specific nutrient gaps;

  • and diligent stress management practices;

… all sustained consistently over years. Building muscle is a game of centimetres. It is energetically expensive to build more muscle, and we must have the proper environment to maximize this.

5. The Consequences of Muscle Loss: Ignoring muscle strength leads to numerous health risks, including:

  • Decreased bone density: Muscles stimulate bone growth and strength through load-bearing activities, helping to prevent osteoporosis and reducing fracture risks as we age.

  • Poor glucose regulation: Muscle tissue plays a crucial role in glucose uptake and metabolism. Losing muscle mass can significantly elevate the risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

  • Loss of proprioception: Reduced muscle strength and joint mobility impair proprioception (the body’s ability to sense its position and movement in space), heightening the chance of falls and related injuries.

  • Weakened immune function: Adequate muscle mass and regular resistance training support immune health by promoting anti-inflammatory responses and enhancing overall resilience.

  • Compromised mental health: Muscle strength is closely linked to cognitive function and mental well-being. A decline in muscle mass and strength can negatively impact mood, cognitive clarity, and overall mental health.

6. Cardio's Impact on Muscle: Excessive cardio elevates cortisol, adrenaline, and norepinephrine levels, creating a prolonged catabolic state.

Cortisol, a stress hormone, signals the body to break down muscle protein for energy, particularly during extended periods of physical stress or calorie deficits.

Additionally, elevated adrenaline and norepinephrine can further amplify this catabolic effect by promoting the mobilization of muscle glycogen and amino acids, ultimately leading to decreased muscle mass and compromised muscle preservation.

HOW

💪 Prioritize Resistance Training: 

  • Include regular strength workouts focusing on progressive overload, so you’re gradually increasing the weight, sets, or repetitions to challenge your muscles and stimulate growth continuously.
  • Emphasize compound movements like squats, deadlifts, presses, and rows to maximize muscle recruitment and efficiency.
  • Think of resistance training as the kind of person you want to marry and have a long-term relationship with. You’re in it for the long haul, through it all, through thick and thin.

🚴🏻‍♀️ Do Strategic Cardio: 

  • Opt for brief, intense cardio sessions (e.g., sprints or high-intensity interval training) 1–2 times weekly to support muscle growth rather than hinder it. Short, intense cardio sessions help improve cardiovascular fitness and metabolic function without creating prolonged stress that can lead to muscle breakdown.
  • For the fun step or Zumba classes, bike rides, or other Zone 2/3/4 activities: date them. They are super fun and novel, and you can switch them up to your heart’s delight.

💋 Rethink Beauty Ideals: 

  • Embrace strength as beauty, and being strong over skinny.
  • The benefits of muscle long-term include improved bone density, joint health, metabolic rate, and functional independence, ultimately contributing to a higher quality of life and better aging outcomes.

NOW

➡️ Audit Your Routine: Replace excessive cardio with balanced strength training and targeted cardio sessions.

➡️ Nutrition Adjustments: Ensure adequate protein and carbohydrate intake to support muscle growth.

➡️ Consistency: Adopt a long-term mindset, understanding that muscle growth is a slow and steady process. It is more important to be consistent than it is to have the “perfect” routine.

What I Recommend

MIDLIFE WEIGHT CHANGES? CORRECT THIS HIDDEN MINERAL GAP NOW.

Do you struggle to lose weight, despite following a healthy diet?  It's because our food has changed a lot over the past 70 years! Fruits, veggies, and other whole foods aren’t as nutritious as they used to be and are deficient in essential minerals, directly related to pesticide use and farming practices. And when you’re short on minerals, weight loss gets a lot harder. There are two reasons: metabolism and hormone balance.

  • To learn more about minerals and how they can support weight loss in midlife, read my new article here.
  • BONUS! BEAM Minerals is offering 25% off site-wide, through May 26. Go to beamminerals.com/BETTER and use code MEMORIAL25 at checkout.

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SUMMER HYDRATION FLAVOR BURST

🍋 Lemonade that checks ALL the electrolyte boxes? Yes, please! I’m loving the new Lemonade Salt flavor from LMNT. It just debuted and is available for a limited time. Grab this new flavor at drinklmnt.com/drestima and get a free Sample Pack with your purchase!

🌟 Love these recommendations? Find more resources to support your health in midlife in my Health Toolkit!

Mini Pause #55: Why Walking is the Heavyweight Champion for Fat Loss

Posted on by stephanie-estima

TL; DR (Too Long; Didn't Read)

Walk. Often. In Minimalist Shoes.

You’ll burn fat and build glutes like a mother.

WHY

Building on Mini Pause #53: Fat Loss Basics–Tucking Into Calories & Hunger, I want to remind you that one of the best ways to lose fat is NOT:

  • Punitive cardio.
  • Pounding the pavement, racking up miles week after week.
  • Any class you go to 4-5 times a week for “high intensity” training.

I’ll take this opportunity to remind you that working out “hard” does NOT tap into your fat stores, ends up breaking down muscle, and is largely catabolic.

Not for you, Betty. You want the opposite. Your cardio should be:

  • Gentle.
  • Low and slow.
  • Something delightful that easily melts fat off your body and helps to grow muscles in places you didn't know you had them.

Sounds like a romance novel, filled with steamy encounters, ear nibbling, rose petals, and silk sheets.

And hey, while I’m down for that, too, what I’m talking about is low-intensity, steady-state cardio for the win when it comes to fat loss. AKA WALKING.

For years, we have been fed this lie idea that cardio needs to hurt for it to count. If your legs are not wobbling your way home, beating some personal record, or drenching in your sweat….did you even work, bro?

All the Strava high fives, the bikes that tell us our latest FTP was lower than the last time, and the gamification of exercise have perverted our sense of what constitutes fat loss.

Instead of aiming to be in a fat-burning state, we are driven to want more, more, more!

But what is “less is more?” What if, like a delicious piece of chocolate melting slowly in your mouth, you could savor it, and it would have long-lasting benefits like easily burning fat and growing your glutes?

WHAT

Wait. What did she say? Glutes?

You bet your big toe I did.

The great toe, as it’s sometimes called, is intrinsically related to your glutes.

Whenever you are pressing down through your toes during a squat, lunge, or any machine will activate your glutes. Pressing down through the big toe (plantar flexion, think ballerina point) activates your glutes.

The same is true when we walk! When you’re able to press through our toes, specifically the big toe, you can easily activate the muscles in your posterior chain, like the glutes and the hamstrings.

Great toe, great ass.

I should also mention that high-intensity cardio is not effectively tapping into your fat stores. As the intensity of your cardio climbs, your body’s tendency to use fat declines. It is energetically expensive to break down fat, so with higher intensity, your body will preferentially take glycogen (from your liver and your muscles) to use for energy.

That’s why you’re usually hungry after a run but not after a walk. After a run, your body must replace the glycogen stores it gobbled up. This is not true for walking.

HOW

There are so many easy ways to incorporate walking into your life that don’t require a heavy lift (literally and figuratively).

Here are a few examples of how I’ve integrated walking pretty seamlessly into my life:

  • I walk to the gym and back in the spring, summer, and fall.

  • I have a treadmill under my desk in one room and a Walking Pad in another that I use for all my meetings, when I write, or when I do my Duolingo lessons.

  • I walk after dinner in the evening. The Italians call this la passeggiata, and I have kept this habit since returning from Italy last year. It is sacrilegious not to walk after dinner there!

  • When my boys are at soccer practice, I walk around the track.

  • Recovery walks! My leg training days can leave me sore (not always, but often enough) so that I walk consistently for days afterward as my “cardio.”

NOW

Add Many people (including myself) have invested in a weighted vest or a rucksack to accompany their walks. But you don't need to!

Just put on a pair of shoes (the less cushy and less supportive the better) and head out within your neighborhood, to your local gym, or your home treadmill desk for a walk. When I walk indoors, I walk in my socks or my Peluva minimalist shoes.

Reframe that cardio needs to be hard. It can be super easy, even joyful, and good for your buttocks!

MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE

What I Recommend

Calm Your Nervous System

A piece of the women’s health puzzle that’s been getting more attention–but still not enough–is nervous system regulation. Being stressed or anxious can become too familiar when juggling a busy life. Sometimes, you need an assist.

I’ve found that the soothing vibrations of the Apollo wearable gently nudge me into a calmer state. These vibrations engage with the body’s nervous system to help regulate stress responses and promote a state of calm. The vibration settings also can be tailored to support women’s unique physiology, such as hormonal fluctuations throughout the menstrual cycle and infradian rhythms.

Apollo can enhance your ability to manage daily stressors–just the assist you need for your nervous system.

Learn more about the science behind Apollo and the features that make it work at https://apolloneuro.com/drstephanieestima. Use code DRSTEPHANIE to get $60 off.

EVEN BETTER! Premium Membership

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Mini Pause #29: Travel Tips for Jet Lag, Sleep, Fitness & Food

Posted on by stephanie-estima

TL;DR (Too Long; Didn't Read)

Adjusting to local time for me is switching my watch as soon as I board the plane, getting in a workout first thing in the morning, and taking an early afternoon nap.

I savor each meal and eat what I want (including all the bread and pasta I desire). I chalk it up to a diet break and walk a lot.

After all–life is about pleasure and experience!

WHY

If you’re traveling this year or planning a staycation, here are some strategies I employ and have found to be incredibly useful when acclimating to a new time zone and being thrown off my regular comforts of home.

WHAT

Jet Lag
Depending on the degree of time change, you can start slowly shifting your internal time clock up to a week before your flight. As the saying goes, flying “east is a beast” and flying “west is the best.”

When I fly to the West Coast, it is incredibly easy for me to wake up early in the morning (sometimes TOO early in the morning!) and have a hard time staying up late. This works well for my lifestyle though, and I don't often struggle when flying west.

When I fly east it is often to Europe where there is a minimum of a five or six-hour time difference. If I’m not able to change my sleeping patterns the week leading up to the flight, there is a small but mighty trick I do.

HOW

Sleep
As I’m boarding the flight, I change my watch to the local time of where I’m flying.

I don’t know why this works. But it does. Without fail and every time. If someone has the science to explain this to me, I’m all ears. I don't even know how I stumbled upon this trick, but here we are, wondering together.

I try to sleep as much as I can on the plane and bring a few travel items with me to sleep well:

  • I take Qualia Night as soon as I board so I’m ready to sleep a few hours later. (Use code STEPHANIE for a discount.)
  • An eye mask to shut out the lights from the plane
  • Noise-canceling headphones
  • Extra pair of woolly socks (What can I say? My feet are almost always cold.)

When we arrive at the local destination, it’s often still too early to check into our room, so we drop the bags off and immediately go get a strong coffee and head to a local gym to work out. I always research local gyms beforehand so we know exactly where we are going.

After the gym, I’ll find a local market and buy bottles of water, and snacks for our hotel room, like yogurt, fruits, and usually a tub of protein powder.

Once the room is ready, it is usually early afternoon by this point. I unpack, put the water and snacks in the hotel fridge, and take a nap.

I set a timer and do not let myself sleep for more than an hour, and never past 4 p.m. local time. This nap (both the timing of it and the length) is crucial to adjusting to the new time zone I’m in.

This first-day routine works like a charm for me every time:

  • Exercise first thing upon arrival.
  • Take an early afternoon nap.

Fitness
While I’m on vacation and depending on where I am, I will join a local gym, usually with day passes or a week pass). It’s super fun to work out in a new environment, with new people, and even more humbling when you have to switch lbs to kgs! More often than not, the hotel gym will be mainly cardio equipment and a few weights. For me, it is always worth looking into gyms with weights. It doesn’t have to be fancy, just machines, a variety of weights and I’m good!

The last time I was in London, I joined a gym called The Gym Group and it was awesome. They ticked off all the boxes I was looking for:

  • Easy to sign up.
  • Easy to cancel.
  • Great hours of operation.
  • All the weights and machines I needed to get the job done.

I get all my cardio in by walking. I rack up easily double, sometimes triple my baseline of 10-12K daily steps. This requires packing comfortable clothes, and of course, comfortable footwear that doesn’t give me blisters.

I opt for some cute workout outfits or summer dresses with sneakers. I’ve linked my favorites from Amazon here.

Food
I usually don’t fret too much about food while on vacation and generally eat what I want. I look at it as a diet break. I eat until I’m just about full, and I try to eat slowly and savor the food.

My only overarching rule is to try to have protein with every meal.

The only time this presents a challenge is breakfast. Europeans love their croissants, cornettos, and other sweet morning treats! I don't usually find it too hard to source eggs, or cured salmon and if all else fails, I have my backup tub of protein powder to mix in water.

For lunch and dinner, if we are near the water, I usually opt for fish, and if we are more inland, I get steak.

Many people, including myself, find that wheat products like pasta and bread are less inflammatory outside North America, so I enjoy bread with almost every meal. I also take advantage of pasta if the mood strikes me. I love to walk after dinner to aid in digestion, especially if I’ve had a particularly rich meal.

My only other concern on vacation is staying hydrated. Walking or even lounging at the beach can be dehydrating so I make sure I bring my LMNT electrolytes with me.

NOW

Planning ahead can be a game-changer for vacations.

  • Pack your necessities for the plane ride itself (eye masks, headphones, and download the latest Better! With Dr. Stephanie podcasts ahead of time).
  • Search online ahead of your trip for local gyms near your hotel.
  • Search for local grocers and markets to pick up items like water and snacks when you arrive!
  • Pack your supplements.
  • Opt for some cute but functional clothing; summer dresses are always my fave and I pair them with sneakers.

Question of the Week

Q: Why do you also need BEAM Minerals if you're drinking LMNT throughout the day? Isn't this doubling up?

I got this question about supplements from Christi in response to Mini Pause #27. Since I also mention LMNT in my travel routine this week, it’s a great time to offer some clarity.

The short answer here is both are necessary as they do different things.

While they are both minerals, they serve different purposes. If you listen to my conversation with Caroline Alan from BEAM Minerals on the BETTER! podcast, you’ll see how she speaks about humic and fulvic acids being important as antioxidants, helping with nutrient assimilation, and also being natural detoxifiers.

Salt, on the other hand, is very tightly regulated by the body. It’s lost in large quantities when we work out and physically exert ourselves, especially when it is humid.

Salt helps us stay hydrated by helping the body hold onto water. This is why if you are working out, it isn't enough to simply drink water. Whenever you sweat, you also lose salt and other electrolytes.

YOUR TURN!

I’ll be answering your questions every week right here in the Mini Pause! Let me know what’s on your mind. I’ll be checking for both questions and feedback at support@drstephanieestima.com.

What I Recommend: Qualia Night

Between changing hormones, busy work schedules, and taking care of family, my Bettys often struggle with sleep. Knowing what you’re juggling, I’ve searched for options that can help you get to sleep and stay asleep.

Qualia Night is a different kind of sleep support. You take it at dinner time and it helps your nervous system naturally wind down at night. And, it doesn’t make you drowsy. When I take it, I can feel myself getting calmer, not groggy.

Because so many of you are high performers during your waking hours, you’ll like that Qualia Night enhances your sleep performance, too. Qualia Night’s unique blend of ingredients enhances BDNF, promotes GABA, and balances cortisol levels.

This means you get deeper sleep that helps your body systems heal, recover, and regenerate. (I mention Qualia Night as part of my travel favorites, too, and take advantage of these same benefits while I’m out of my regular routine.)

Since I’m getting better quality deep sleep regularly, I wake up feeling recharged and refreshed. I want you to start sleeping better, too, so you can show up in your life with vibrant energy.

Visit Qualia Night to learn more about how you can improve your sleep. Use code STEPHANIE to get 15% off.

P.S.

Here in the Bettyverse, we focus on Meals, Muscle, Mindset, and (Peri)Menopause. When an opportunity comes along that I know will offer you benefits that complement the content I provide, I always want to share that with you.

I’d like you to consider joining my friend and world-leading brain coach, Jim Kwik, at his upcoming FREE live virtual event, August 5-7, 2024: The Limitless Learner Virtual Summit

Jim’s bringing in a superhero team of high-performers and world-leading entrepreneurs to guide you and share their wisdom. Here’s a sampling of what you’ll learn:

  • The brain-first approach to becoming a top performer: How to solve challenges with your memory, focus, and concentration so you can perform at the highest level possible.
  • How to unlock the power of your memory and overcome forgetfulness (because your memory makes you money).
  • The secret to overcoming procrastination and distraction, so you can stay focused in an information-overloaded world.
  • How to read faster, comprehend, and remember more of what you read so you can catch up, keep up, and get ahead in your industry.
  • Accelerated learning strategies to help you learn anything faster, master new skills, and take control of your future (no matter where you’re starting from).

Click HERE to claim your exclusive invite to Jim Kwik’s FREE Limitless Learner Virtual Summit.

About Jim Kwik: He’s the author of the best-selling book “LIMITLESS” and host of the #1 brain performance podcast, Kwik Brain. He is the world’s leading expert in speed reading, memory improvement, brain performance, and accelerated learning.

Mini Pause #14: Common Cardio Mistakes & How to Fix Them

Posted on by stephanie-estima

What You’re Getting Wrong About Cardio and How to Make Simple Changes for Big Results

TL,DR (too long, didn't read)

Cardio is a good thing. But you don’t need it to lose weight. And doing too much of it and to the exclusion of other forms of beneficial fitness just doesn’t serve you. Choose the type, intensity, and duration of your cardio wisely and based on your goals. Timing matters, too. If you’re strength training (and I know you are), you’ll want to save cardio until after your lifting. Cardiopulmonary health is especially important in perimenopause and menopause, so you’ll want to do cardio smarter, not harder, and definitely not longer.

WHY

I am a fan of cardio work, but not for the reasons you might think. One of the biggest misnomers for integrating cardio into routines is that it’s required for fat loss. Spoiler–it isn’t!

Cardio is important for cardiovascular health (this is especially true as we age and lose estrogen). Just as importantly, cardio facilitates work capacity for your resistance training workouts and for your recovery because of a better ability to deliver nutrients to repairing muscles.

When your cardiorespiratory fitness is good, you will be able to work hard during leg day and recover in between sets.

The other thing to note is that individuals who engage in some type of regular cardio are also generally setting up good habits so that when they lose weight (through diet and weight lifting) they are more likely to keep it off. You are more active, so your caloric balance has a better chance of staying balanced.

As important as cardio is in a balanced exercise regimen, I want to explore some common mistakes with cardio, with the assumption that you are looking to build muscle and lose fat.

WHAT

Mistake 1: Cardio As Effective As Diet

In a word, no. Cardio is not at all required for fat loss. Not even one bit! The biggest determinant of whether you will lose weight is your balance of calories in versus your calories out. If you are in even a mild caloric deficit, you will lose weight. This can be achieved without cardio entirely.

If you’ve ever looked at calories burned on your typical cardio equipment (even when they are likely overestimating it), it’s pretty discouraging. I clock in somewhere between 400-600 calories when I’m on the bike for an hour. An hour!!

By contrast, I can easily pack away 700 or 800 calories of food in a few minutes.

When we’re thinking about caloric deficits, it’s way easier to eat your calories than it is to burn them! It’s unfair, cruel, and unfortunately true. So a better strategy is to think about the calories you’re eating (and often the hidden calories from dressings, the bit here and there, and the mindless snacking) that is leading to a caloric surplus.

Now, don’t get me wrong, if muscle building is your goal, a caloric surplus is a great idea, as long as you’re putting the energy to work by lifting weights.

Relying on cardio for fat loss is a losing scenario, because it’s far easier to eat your calories than it is to burn them.

The other thing to remember is that if you’re overdoing it on the cardio, your body is a wily minx and will compensate by driving up hunger cues and metabolically adapting by decreasing your overall caloric expenditure. That means you will likely start moving less, your digestion will slow down, and even the calories you burn during subsequent cardio sessions will decrease.

The more you rely on cardio as a fat-loss tool, the more the returns diminish as you burn fewer calories overall and reduce non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT).

Cardio should supplement your fat loss goals, not be the main event.

Mistake 2: The Timing Of Your Cardio

If fat loss and muscle gain are the goals, you also want to think about when you engage in cardio relative to when you lift weights.

There’s a well-established interference [*][*][*] between developing the aerobic endurance pathway and the muscle hypertrophy pathway.

This means, your muscle goals may be impaired if you do your cardio before your training. Some studies suggest that strength is compromised for 6 to 8 [*] hours after an intense cardio session.

This is especially true for high-intensity interval training (HIIT) [*]. HIIT may be less of a time commitment and it can be more fun than a Zone 2 workout, but putting your HIIT workout ahead of your weight session is likely going to catabolize your performance because you’re already going to be pretty gassed.

And HIIT and weight training have a lot of physical features in common anyway: the explosive power and recruitment of type 2 fibers. By combining these two, the activity that comes second likely will suffer.

Also keep in mind that the recovery demand for a HIIT session is much higher than a Zone 2 workout. You’ll need more time to recover from a HIIT workout before you should do it again.

HOW

Think about your cardio as a way to keep your overall fitness level high:

  • The cardioprotective benefits it extends in perimenopause and menopause.
  • The way it augments your performance on heavy lift days.
  • How it helps establish healthy lifelong habits.

Cardio isn’t required at all for fat loss. It should never be used as your primary fat loss tool. Fat loss happens in the kitchen, not on the treadmill.

If your goal is fat loss and muscle gain, the timing of your cardio can be after a training session, or even on separate days altogether.

I typically lift weights in the morning, and if I have trained my upper body, I’ll jump on my stationary bike in the evening for a Zone 2 ride. If I have trained legs in the morning, I’m doing no cardio that day. Instead, I’m sitting on the couch, going for a sauna, or going to bed early.

Zone 2 training can be a great way to train your base level of cardiopulmonary health. Aim for a 30-45 minute session, several times a week. Remember, there are a lot of ways to get into your Zone 2! Rucking, cycling, walking, and swimming are wonderful, low-impact options.

HIIT training can be done once or twice a week, and probably shouldn’t be longer than 15 to 30 minutes.

For more ideas, I wrote about different ways to train the top end of your cardiopulmonary fitness in Mini Pause #11 and Mini Pause #12.

NOW

  • Reframe your thinking around cardio to be an adjunct for living well (and helping with leg day!)
  • Ensure your weightlifting is done first. If you want to do Zone 2 that day, it can go immediately after weights, or later that day.
  • Limit your HIIT workouts to 30 minutes or less one to two times per week following weight workouts. (And probably not on leg day unless you are a maniac.)

Question of the Week

Q: How to navigate perimenopause with a low budget? The must-dos!

This is such a great question from vykteran on IG! There are many  low- and no-cost items that make a major difference in our experience with perimenopause.

Here are the top 30 things I feel measurably move the needle when it comes to feeling great in perimenopause. Take your pick!

  • Watch the sunrise / early morning sunlight: Get outdoors (rain or shine) for 10 minutes every morning.
  • Watch the sunset.
  • Snack on exercise: for every 1 hour of sitting, get up and move for 10 minutes. (Read more about exercise snacks in Mini Pause #3.)
  • Mouth tape at night (can be a piece of surgical tape on the mouth).
  • Clean your house with vinegar, water, and a few drops of essential oils (I use orange or lemon).
  • Keep your phone and all electronics out of your bedroom.
  • Keep your room cool, dark, and serene.
  • Use only floor lights or candles after sunset, no overhead lights.
  • Lift heavy at least 3x/week. This can be weights at the gym or odd-shaped rocks and objects you find in nature.
  • Sprint 1-2x/week. Grab your trainers and hit the road! Run as fast as you can for one minute, then walk until your heart rate recovers. Do this cycle 5x.
  • Aim to get at least 7,000 steps a day. Your phone likely has a pedometer built into it.
  • Drink 3L of water daily. Add in sea salt or electrolytes.
  • Moisturize your skin after a shower or bath with olive oil.
  • Absolutely no alcohol.
  • Set boundaries and stick to a consistent bedtime and waketime every day (including weekends).
  • Aim to get a minimum of 30g of protein at each meal.
  • Chew your food 20 times on each side of your mouth.
  • Stop eating 2-3 hours before bedtime.
  • Open your windows!
  • Practice gratitude for people, things, and events in your daily life.
  • Tell people why you love them: send a voice note or a written note about what you are grateful for and what you notice about them that you admire.
  • Watch comedy and let yourself laugh!
  • Sing or hum along to music (opens the throat chakra; the humming is calming for the nervous system).
  • Oil pull for oral health.
  • “Close and clean” your work and personal spaces daily. Have a proper work shutdown: tidy up your desk, and shut down your computer. Put dishes in the dishwasher, and wipe down countertops so you can walk into your kitchen the next day without seeing clutter.
  • Celebrate your efforts, not only the outcome.
  • At the end of the day, reflect on how awesome you were with at least one specific example.
  • Make a desire list and dream about what lights you up. A desire list can be anything: from material items you want, experiences, relationships, properties, lifestyle, etc. Just allow yourself to dream again.
  • Practice forgiveness. For your parents, for ex-partners, coworkers, friends, or anyone who has wronged you. It is not that you are letting them off the hook for what they did, but that you are setting yourself free.
  • Sit on the grass, on the sand, or anywhere in nature. Gaze off into the distance. Let your mind wander.

Ok, that's just a preliminary list! What did I miss?

YOUR TURN!

Let me know what you’d add to this list of low-budget perimenopause must-dos. Send in your favorites to support@drstephanieestima.com.

WHAT I RECOMMEND: BodyBio

You know I’m a big proponent of optimizing my nutrition and lifestyle to promote healthy aging, and I love a product that achieves multiple health goals at once.

That’s why I’ve incorporated BodyBio PC, a phospholipid complex, into my daily routine. Not only are phospholipids essential for cellular health, especially as we age, they also:

  • Promote mental clarity and memory*
  • Support a healthy gut lining (no more leaks!)*
  • Encourage liver detoxification*
  • Support bile flow and fat digestion*

Visit BodyBio.com to learn why PC is considered  “the foundation of your cells.” Use code DRSTEPHANIE to save 15% sitewide.

Bonus! If you missed my April 8 BETTER! podcast with Jessica Berman, you may want to take a listen this weekend. We talked about seed oils (misunderstood), omega 6s & 3s (essential) and how they impact your body’s composition and overall health. As an executive leader at BodyBio, Jess is continuing the legacy of the membrane medicine work her grandfather, scientist Ed Kane, spent over four decades researching.

*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Benefits for My Bettys

In these newsletters, I often share the products, devices, and equipment that I use in my own life regularly. I only mention items I feel are worth highlighting and that I believe may provide health and wellness benefits to my Bettys. I encourage you – pressure-free! – to explore and then determine if any of the items fit YOUR health needs, fitness goals, lifestyle, or budget.

Today’s issue includes the following items. Use code DRSTEPHANIE with the links below to receive a special discount.

You’ll find more resources in my online HEALTH TOOLKIT. I’ve compiled these for my Bettys who are still cycling, experiencing symptoms of perimenopause, or managing the transition to the other side of menopause. Take a look!