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Fitness Mindset Nutrition

Navigating the Holidays: 6 Ways to Prioritize Flexibility and Consistency Over Perfection

It’s that time of the year again – the season of twinkling lights, cozy sweaters, and an undeniable urge to sample every dessert in sight. As the holidays approach – some of which have already started – there is often a sense of joy, wonder, and a desire to be close to others. For some, these next few weeks and even months can feel more stressful than usual with lots of special holiday goodies at every turn, limited time to train due to traveling, and an all-or-nothing mindset that can lead to some self sabotaging behaviors as a result of feeling like they have “fallen off the wagon”.

Perfection is not attainable in any sense of the word and once we relieve ourselves of the pressure to have the perfect meal and workout plan, especially during the holidays, we can more effortlessly enjoy the festivities. We’re going to dive into a few ways that you can prioritize consistency over perfection while also touching on how you can manage holiday weight gain so grab a cup of cocoa, get comfy, and let’s talk about embracing the spirit of the season, staying consistent (but not too serious), and finding the sweet spot between wellness and the unavoidable treat train.

Rolling with the Tinsel: Embrace Flexibility During the Holidays

The holidays can be a juggling act of family gatherings, work parties, and resisting the urge to turn down a second helping of grandma’s famous pecan pie while trying to also stay on top of your training. But the secret to a stress free holiday when it comes to your nutrition and training is finding a groove that lets you enjoy the season without the unnecessary stress. Here are a few tips for enjoying the holidays while keeping that wellness ship afloat.

1. Make Consistency Your Best Friend

Building positive habits and cultivating a strong mindset is a huge part of what we focus on here at Silver and Strong. We all know that consistency is key to seeing results – not just physical but also when it comes to your mindset – but it can feel easier said than done. During the holidays, it’s especially important to lean on the healthy habits you have incorporated into your life and to prioritize balance over perfection. Maybe your workout isn’t a hardcore gym session; it’s more of a dance-off in the living room or a quick stroll around the neighborhood. Maybe you are traveling without access to equipment or a gym so you may opt for a bodyweight workout routine in your hotel room. Whatever you choose, the goal is to keep things moving without the pressure of doing all or nothing.

2. Restriction is Not in Season

Family and work parties are often filled with plates piled high with comfort food and tempting treats everywhere. Instead of stressing about calories, resorting to extreme fad diets, or turning down the good stuff, focus more on enjoying the food you love and trying to be mindful about portion sizes. No guilt, just gratitude for the deliciousness in front of you. If you do over-indulge and are physically not feeling your best, try to drink lots of water, get plenty of sleep, and remember that tomorrow is another day. Those habits you have been building are going to be key to getting yourself back on track.

3. Fun Holiday Food Hacks

If you do happen to be counting macros for weight loss and are opting to track during the holidays, there are a lot of low effort ways that you can make it easier to lighten things up while still enjoying your favorite festive foods. Here are just a few:

  • Add ½ scoop of chocolate protein powder to your hot cocoa for some extra protein to keep you satiated.
  • Use bone broth for your gravy or stuffing instead of traditional stocks or broths for extra collagen. Collagen may also aid in supporting joint health.
  • Offer to bring a dish to any gatherings you may be attending. This will ensure you have something on hand that you will feel comfortable eating and that aligns with your goals.
  • Try some DIY versions of your favorite holiday drinks like high protein egg nog or a festive mocktail.
  • Use greek yogurt as a replacement for any of your dishes that may use sour cream to get in some added protein. If you are making a dessert or sweet dip that uses traditional cream cheese and can find greek yogurt cream cheese, this is another great option to get protein in.
  • Add some ground chia or flax seeds into your pie crusts for some fiber and omega 3’s.

4. Create New Holiday Wellness Traditions

Your training routine might get a little thrown off during the holidays, and honestly, that’s to be expected. The silver lining is that this is a great opportunity to practice flexibility and switch things up a bit. For example, if you will be traveling and won’t have access to a gym but still want to workout, try a bodyweight strength workout without equipment. And instead of worrying about missed reps, get in what you can, when you can. 20 minutes instead of 40 is better than nothing. If you spend time with friends or family during the holidays, this could also be a great time to start a new wellness tradition like taking a brisk winter stroll through the park, signing up for a local holiday run, or even a family dance party. When your workouts feel more like a fun holiday tradition, you may be more prone to stick to them.

5. Maintain Positive Self Talk

So the grand plan to stay on track, fell through when someone brought out the cookies, and suddenly it’s a full-on sugar fest. No one’s perfect, especially during the holidays and if you miss a workout or indulge a little too much, it is not the end of the world. The important thing is to be kind to yourself and jump back into your routine when you can.

6. Don’t Forget to Prioritize Quality Sleep

Amidst the holiday chaos and all of the hosting or traveling you may be doing, one thing that often gets neglected is sleep and sleep quality. Getting enough sleep is a critical key to many other areas of health, so prioritize getting in at least 8 hours of sleep and your body and mind will thank you.

Cheers to the Holidays!

This holiday season, forget about perfection and instead focus on the healthy habits and positive mindset you have worked to cultivate. Consistency over perfection is all about celebrating the holidays in a way that feels good for you, without restrictions or extremes. Whether it’s dancing in your PJs to your favorite holiday hits or savoring that extra piece of pie, find your groove and make this season one for the books. Cheers to a laid-back, stress free, and festive end to the year!

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Mindset

Change Your Identity; Your Body Will Follow

I have been on this kick for a while – talking about the need to change your identity rather than just your habits if you want long lasting, healthy weight loss and a strong, fit body as you age.

The pictures above were taken at very different points in my life. The physical changes you can see that took place between the left picture and the right were precipitated by a fundamental change in how I saw myself – in my identity.

Prior to starting my last transformation journey at age 61, losing weight and keeping it off was the only significant goal I had ever set my sights on and failed to achieve (over and over and over).

I set out to graduate from college at the top of my class with degrees in accounting and finance: ✅
I set out to go to a top tier law school and get a great job upon graduation: ✅
I set out to establish myself professionally and develop a stellar reputation: ✅
I set out to be the very best wife, mother and friend I could be: ✅
I set out to get involved in my business community and sit on boards of nonprofits to give back: ✅

These goals took hard work and effort, but I can now see that the reason I achieved all these milestones was how I identified myself – I was a working wife and mother and a “pit bull in high heels” corporate attorney who represented and protected my clients from anyone and anything. Oh – and I “worked out.” This identity determined the habits I established and followed. Successful, effective attorneys work long hours, often including the weekends and make sure their clients’ needs are met. A person who prides herself on being a good wife and mother and a valued friend puts the needs of all those people before her own to make sure their needs are met. This woman thought she needed to take care of everyone before she took care of herself. The woman she is now knows better.

Prior to this last transformation, seeing myself as an athlete was not part of my identity. I have lifted weights for 30+ years. I have ran and biked and rowed off and on for that same period of time – when it was convenient and when it didn’t get the way of my “real” identity. The awareness that I could change how I identified myself at 61 was a huge “aha” moment for me. Your habits, your actions, your lifestyle, your CHOICES all come from your identity. Until I began to identify as an athlete, along with all the other descriptions above (still a kick ass wife/mom/friend and protector of my now singular client), living as an athlete was not a priority.

It took me a while to get used to the idea of calling myself an athlete. My husband is an Ironman triathlete and will complete his 25th Ironman race this month. In the past, I would look at him and his 20+ hours of training a week while working a full time job and being a hands-on dad and think “he is an athlete. I just work out.” When my first coach insisted my new lifestyle made ME an athlete, I was truly floored. I had to sit with that concept for quite a while before I could even begin to think it could be a possibility. But slowly, the idea grew on me. I lifted weights 5 days a week; I did cardio 7 days a week (at that time); I tracked my macros; I focused on getting quality sleep. I wanted to lose fat, sure, but I also wanted to fuel my body to grow muscle and to be healthy, not skinny. I wanted to be part of the healthy and active aging revolution! It was then that I finally realized I WAS an athlete, which added to my overall identity. It did not detract from it.

Athletes plan out their food and eat healthy balanced meals as part of a nutrient dense diet to fuel their training. They get enough sleep. They take care of their mental health to be in tip top shape to live a healthy, strong, vibrant, joyful, fit life.

This is not about comparative strength or getting on stage or being in a power lifting competition or running a race. It’s about living your life to be the healthiest version of yourself, the woman who achieves her fullest potential every single day of her life. If you WANT to be an athlete and live the lifestyle of an athlete, you ARE an athlete and you will reap the benefits of that lifestyle. And the best part is you are not too old, it is not too late. You can start at any age.

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Mindset Nutrition

Healthy Habits to Start Your Transformation Journey Off Strong

You need strong, established healthy habits to ground you through a transformation journey and, often more importantly, to support you when you encounter those unexpected challenges along your journey.

Many of my returning readers know that I live on the west side of the beautiful island of Maui just south of Lahaina Town, which was recently destroyed by a hurricane wind-fueled fire that blew through the town and surrounding areas, leaving devastation in its wake. So many of us were dealing with evacuations, displacement, loss, unknown status of property, family and friends. It was an amazingly difficult time (and dealing with aspects of the aftermath continues to be). During this same time, I was heading up a significant project for my company with no real, experienced back up to step into my role. If it had been absolutely necessary, outside counsel could have taken over, but within the company, I was it. While my co-workers did their best to take as much pressure as possible off me, particularly while we were displaced and were waiting to hear if our home was still standing, most of what they were able to do was to hold off the work until I was in a mental space to deal with it (which I was very grateful for).

In the past, stressors like these, either alone, but certainly when combined, would have sent me running at a gallop to bury my head in food, both as a method of self-comfort and stress relief (which worked at least while I was eating, even if the extra eating ended up stressing me out or upsetting me after the fact). Now, because my life is anchored with healthy, daily lifestyle habits, I am able to deal with these stressors in healthier ways. Instead of giving in to emotional eating and reaching for the chips or sweets, I take a walk, I meditate, I journal, I workout, I call a friend, I play with my dog. I pick an activity that will relieve the stress that does not involve food. This change in habits did not happen overnight. In fact, it took a minimum of six months of regular practice, with many failures, before these new healthy habits took hold. Let’s be honest – ingrained habits, whether healthy or not, are not easily changed. It takes effort, focus, intention and consistency, but the good news is that you CAN change those old habits and replace them with new healthy ones.

Do these healthier, established habits mean I never overeat or grab something sweet when I’m stressed or overtired? Oh, heck no! BUT – that is now the exception instead of the rule AND even when this happens (and it did happen a time or two after the fire), I go right back to my healthy habits the next day. The one episode is no longer a gateway to fall down that tunnel of a week of overeating.

All of this is to say that there are more benefits to establishing those lifestyle habits than may appear obvious at the time. Tracking macros, not calories; lifting heavy weights (to progressive overload) regularly; using cardio as needed (depending if you are in a cut, maintenance or build); working on your mindset, including knowing your triggers for unhealthy eating habits and having a plan ready when those triggers arise, are all important, foundational, daily habits you need to establish if you want to age in good health and live an active, joyful life. I now know from personal experience that those healthy habits will be your support system to lift you up and carry you through when life throws a few curveballs your way.

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Mindset

Curating An Everyday Wardrobe-Step 1 Declutter

I talked in the last Silver and Strong Newsletter about how to identify your style by using your 3 words (the article can be found on on the Silver and Strong website www.silverandstrong.com under the “blog” section). Now it’s time to curate your wardrobe. The first step is letting go!

Likely you already have a lot of clothes in your existing wardrobe that reflect your style, but are obscured by clothing clutter. For me clothing clutter represent clothes that I bought on impulse, usually because I was on some emotional roller coaster about the way I looked. The second group of clutter are old clothes that I had worn well past their best look date. These are the old blue jeans that have lost their shape or that old comfy sweater that had seen better days. The last group of clutter clothes are the multitude of clothing in various sizes that I accumulated as my weight has yo-yo’d over the years.

I think decluttering the impulse clothes is relatively easy. These were things I wore maybe once or twice or in some cases not at all. They usually represented clothes that fell out of my usual style choices and/or were styles I was “trying out” on myself. They definitely don’t align with my 3 style words, but I have hung on to them because getting rid of them seemed wasteful.

Decluttering the old “comfy” clothes can be a bit of an emotional letting go of the past, but it needs to be done. Admittedly, it can be hard to let go of these clothes because we have hidden behind them for years. You’re in a new stage of life, with a physique that reflects your hard work and it’s your time to shine.

The last set of clutter clothes, none of which fit, are clothes I have hung onto as my weight fluctuated up and down. When I stood back and looked at my closet, I realized I had a closet full of clothes in a range of sizes. My dreaded clothes from a time when I was at my heaviest and aspirational clothes I kept in the event I would get serious, lose weight, and finally fit into those “skinny” jeans. These can be hard to let go of.

For those on a transformation journey, sliding into an old pair of jeans and noticing that they’re too big is a huge moment in your weight-loss journey. Those old clothes are proof that all your healthy eating, exercise and newly formed habits are paying off with real results. Keeping them is like a trophy. But should you keep them?

Often, we keep these old clothes because we don’t believe in ourselves. We don’t believe we can maintain the exercise and diet and everything else that goes into a true health transformation. We still have this mindset that, once I reach my goal, I can go back to the way I lived before. These old clothes can be a kind of emotional insurance policy. Instead of holding yourself accountable to maintain those healthy changes, these clothes are there to cut yourself some slack in case you can’t maintain your new habits. We keep those clothes, just in case. Its less stressful to pull out a larger size from your closet than to have to go buy new larger clothes, which would signal defeat.

Your beliefs about yourself are what create your reality, if you believe your new self is transitory, likely you will fall back on old habits. This is an example of a self-limiting belief. Your beliefs are what create your reality, not your past and this is why working on your mindset is just as important as the diet and exercise. Catching a glimpse of those old clothes may affect your mood and your self-esteem more than you realize and may threaten newly formed healthy habits.

So, toss your old clothes along with those old habits and let your clothes in your closet represent the new version of you – the version that says there is no going back.

Now that you have cleared out the clothes that either don’t fit with your style words and/or just don’t fit, it’s time to build a foundational capsule wardrobe. In the next newsletter we will talk about creating a capsule wardrobe, finding those base pieces, complimentary pieces, layering pieces, statement pieces and accessories all that reflect your style without accumulating clutter.

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Fitness Mindset

How Drop Sets Can Fastrack Your Fitness Results

With so many ways to build muscle, it can be hard to choose the right training routine and get your sets and reps just right for quick and lasting results. Among the wealth of options, one technique that shows real results is the “drop set”. Backed by research and a time-efficient way to train, drop sets are by no means a new technique; however, it is being fast recognized as an effective way to boost muscle strength without requiring you to spend all day in the gym. If you’re pressed for time, understanding and incorporating drop sets into your routine might just be the upgrade your training sessions need.

Understanding Drop Sets

At its core, the concept of drop sets is simple, and the results are effective. You begin with a weight that challenges you but is still manageable and complete your usual number of reps and sets. Instead of pushing to failure with that initial weight, you lighten the load towards the end of the set. Then you aim for extra reps, often going for AMRAP (as many reps as possible) without resting.

Active Aging with Drop Sets: Strengthening Muscles, Joints, and Bones

Drop sets offer benefits regardless of where you are in your weightlifting journey. These advantages are universal, making drop sets a great choice in weight training for women and men alike. Thanks to the weight decrease in the last few reps, those age 50 or older might find drop sets more appealing. As part of a healthy and active aging strategy, drop sets help build muscle, safeguard joints and promote bone health without overtaxing the body.

Muscles can begin to lose their strength at any age, but this loss often accelerates over 50. This muscle loss can result in less strength and a higher risk of injury. To address this concern, drop sets push muscles to get stronger without overwhelming them, providing a safe and effective way to see results quickly.

While all forms of resistance training benefit joint health, drop sets offer a unique edge for those who may be looking for an alternative to the typical reps/sets. Through the concept of actively adjusting weight throughout the set as you get higher in the target rep range, you not only give your muscles a varied workout, but ease potential strain on your joints, which can help alleviate joint problems while boosting flexibility.

The shifting weight in drop sets also help bones adapt and strengthen. Moreover, introducing bones to varied weights and progressively reducing the load offers a diverse workout without excessive strain on the skeletal system.

The Science Behind Drop Sets

If you’re wondering how efficient and effective drop sets really are, especially when there’s a preconceived notion that heavier weight always equals faster results, there is research to back their value. A study in Sports Medicine Open suggests that drop sets can result in muscle gains akin to a traditional strength workout, but in much less time, even just a third in some cases.

While drop sets are not the only way to build muscle, they are certainly a contender when compared to another technique referred to as progressive overload, which is the concept of increasing to a more challenging weight once you can effectively lift with proper form above your target rep range. With drop sets, you reduce the weight towards the end of a set and add more reps, while progressive overload zeroes in on lifting heavier weights with fewer reps. Both techniques push your muscles to grow, but drop sets build muscle faster, making them a valuable tool in strength training for women and men alike, across all experience levels and ages.

The Mechanics of Muscle Growth and How Drop Sets Help

Muscle growth can be achieved in the following ways:

*Using heavy weight to stress the muscle.

*Using metabolic stress, which produces power and muscles by-products like lactic acid inside the muscle tissue. This involves the concept of “time under tension” as the muscles are working and is the way endurance athletes build their endurance base.

*Muscular damage, or micro-tears in the tissue itself, which stimulates growth in the muscle as it repairs itself. This is often the result achieved by a lot of volume/high-rep workouts.

The great thing about drop sets is it is a technique that involves all three types of muscle training in a single workout. Another benefit of drop sets is that you can continue to work close to muscle failure, which makes sure you get the most ‘bang for your buck”. When you lower the weight after the muscle is already fatigued and pump out those extra reps, you build up lactic acid in the muscle and you feel the work of those last couple of squeezed out reps. That effort gives you the extra effectiveness inherent in drop sets. This works with the following caveat – you cannot sacrifice good form for a few additional reps. As soon as your form breaks down, you should either lower the weight again or stop the exercise. The last thing you want to do is injure yourself.

When it comes to muscle building, there are basically three methods to focus on:

*Heavy lifting to stress the muscle;

*Muscular damage or micro-tears that arise from intense workouts and trigger growth during repair. Think high-volume or high-rep routines!

*Metabolic stress associated with by-products like lactic acid within the muscle. This is the “time under tension” idea where you actively engage your muscles longer. Put simply, it means not rushing exercises to force quantity over quality and keeping your muscles working a few seconds more.

Drop sets strategically combines all three muscle-building methods into a single, streamlined workout. You start with heavier sets to stress your muscles. As you reduce the weight and continue lifting, you induce micro-tears in the muscle tissue. Then, as you push close to or at failure with lighter weights, you prolong the tension on your muscles. This induces metabolic stress and causes lactic acid to accumulate in muscles, making you really feel the burn of those last few reps. Here is where the athlete’s mindset of getting comfortable being uncomfortable comes into play. Your body’s natural inclination to protect itself will make you want to give up on the last few reps, but maintaining a strong mindset will give you the focus to finish the reps, which is where the real gains are made.

Incorporating Drop Sets into Your Workout

Adding a drop set or sets to the last exercise for a muscle group is a great way to really work that muscle and bolster those gains you’re working so hard to achieve. Here is an example of what I’m talking about: You are doing four sets of medium-range reps (15-20) of 150 lbs on the leg press. After your final set, you would drop the weight by 20% and do a last set of AMRAP (as many reps as possible) at 120 lbs. If you really want to challenge your quads, you can drop the weight again and go for another AMRAP set at 90 lbs. The goal is to only drop weight once you can no longer do another rep while maintaining good form at the current weight.

Drop sets are great to work smaller muscles groups effectively as well. Adding drop sets to shoulder, tricep and biceps exercises will give you an effective workout that should allow for faster muscle growth.

Form and Recovery Are Just as Important as Your Workout

We’ve talked a lot about reps and enhancing the benefits of your workout, but there is more to reaching your goals for muscle growth than lifting the weights alone.

As with any exercise technique, it’s important to remember that proper form is more important than hastily adding a few extra reps onto your sets. The misconception in the fitness industry that more is more can lead to slips in form and potential injuries. If you do notice that your form is slipping, try implementing some mental or physical cues that will get you back on track or consider lightening the weight until you can move through the movement properly and safely.

Recovery is also crucial for building muscle. Another exercise myth is that your body doesn’t need to rest and that you can work out 7 days a week for 2 hours every day and still make progress. This is just not true. EVERYbody needs time to rest and recover properly, particularly after a hard workout, and particularly if you are 50 years old or older. If you want to maximize the benefits from your last training session and show up stronger for your next one, you need to take time to rest and recover, especially if you push yourself as hard as you can by adding drop sets into your workouts.

Together, intense training, taking rest days, getting adequate sleep, and good nutrition help build stronger, healthier muscles, which is all vital to age in good health and with strength and vitality.

Wrapping Up

Drop sets are a highly effective if you are looking for ways to maximize your workouts. They cater to every muscle group, from the quads to the biceps, and merge heavy lifting, micro-tears and metabolic stress to promote muscle growth. Whether you are just starting your fitness journey or are already years in, if you are short on time or are just looking to spice up your workouts, adding drop sets into your weightlifting routine promises lasting benefits. If you decide to give them a try, I would love to hear from you at info@silverandstrong.com or if you are looking for guidance and would like to work with me, you can find more information on my 1:1 coaching page.

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Nutrition

Protein Ice Cream Recipe!

My daily protein ice cream is one of the highlights of my day 🎉🎉🎉

While I do make this recipe with a Ninja Creami, you can make it in a blender as well as I note below, with only slightly different results, but a great treat, nonetheless.

Ok – here we go!

Start with your favorite protein powder. Mine remains CLEAN SIMPLE EATS (www.cleansimpleeats.com), which has an amazing variety of flavors, all of which are fabulous (see below):

RECIPE:
30g favorite @cleansimpleeats protein powder (in this case, chocolate peanut butter)
1 tbsp. Cocoa powder
1 tbsp. PBFit peanut butter powder
350g water (you can use your favorite milk if you’d prefer)
150g ice

Macros (per serving):
Protein: 17.3g
Carbs: 6.7g
Fat: 0.8g
Calories: 102

Put all ingredients in your blender. Blend well. This recipe fills up two creami ice cream containers. Put in freezer for 24 hours.

After running the container through the Ninja Creami machine the next day, I garnish it with Women’s Best zero calorie chocolate syrup and 2 tbsp light whipped cream. YUM!!!

If you don’t have a creami, you can cut the recipe above in half, add 2g of xanthum gum and mix in a blender. Transfer to glass bowl and freeze for two hours. Garnish as above.

I currently have the following in my cabinet, any of which can be used to make protein ice cream:

  • Chocolate peanut butter
  • Chocolate brownie batter
  • Cookies and cream
  • S’mores
  • Mint chocolate cookies
  • Snickerdoodle
  • Caramel Toffee

If you’d like to give this awesome company’s protein powders a try, please use this link for 10% off your order: https://glnk.io/54jl/Ilene

ENJOY!

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Member Spotlight

Community Member Spotlight: Meet Debbie Timm

(lifeslikethat9103)

My story is not that different from most women’s my age. I spent a lifetime yo-yo dieting. I tried every fad diet I could find. I lost and regained the same weight many, many times through my life, but was never able to keep it off.

My health transformation started in March 2020 at the age of 60. Time was passing me by and I was fed up with how I looked and felt and I didn’t want to live my life with regret. I wanted to prove to myself that I could make positive changes and ultimately change my life. My mantra was “if not now, when.” I was ready!

The Covid lockdown had just started and the gym I had been going to for the past 6 years closed. These were uncertain and scary times. I decided I could either eat my way through my fears or try to take some kind of control of my body and my life. Being an emotional eater, I knew the damage I could do if I didn’t take control and make some changes. I knew this was a period in time where I had the luxury of time to read and research, so I decided it was time to learn about Macros. I had tried reading up on macros a couple of years earlier, but I wasn’t in the right head space to absorb and apply the material. As the saying goes “When the student is ready, the teacher appears”. Everything I needed was at my fingertips and I was ready to go!

So, I jumped in and started with an online book, “Macro Hacks by Redefining Strength”. I learned what macros were, figured out what my macros should be for weight loss and started tracking my food using MyFitnessPal. During this time, my gym offered Zoom HIIT classes, which I did 5 days a week for about 6 months, eventually returning to onsite classes 3 days a week. I also read Mike Mathews’ book, “Thinner, Leaner, Stronger For Women”. By the end of 2020, I had a good understanding of macros, but the scale had barely moved. I was frustrated, but at the same time, I knew exactly where the problem was. Although I was tracking my food, I was guessing at amounts/weights when inputting the information into the tracking program. How do you really know how much you are eating if you never really weigh your food? You can’t fake it and there are no shortcuts. You just need to put in the work. It was a hard pill to swallow, but I knew in my heart what I needed to do.

In January of 2021, I decided to bite the bullet, to be honest with myself and start not only consistently tracking my food, but also weighing it…… and then the magic happened! I lost 29 lbs. in 9 months during an emotional and scary time of lockdown, masks and social distancing. I was losing about a pound a week, which was perfect for me. I was so proud of myself!

My husband has been lifting weights for 40+ years and when his gym closed in May 2021, we decided to set up a home gym. This started me on the path of heavy lifting, focusing on my form and progressive overload. It was hard, but I loved learning to lift properly and loved how good I felt. My husband was my support system and taught me about form, logging my workouts and my progress and increasing my weights, reps etc. in a safe and regular manner. I started videoing all my lifts, which helped me see where I needed to correct my form to improve. I video tape my lifts and during my rest period I review and adjust as needed.

I also started following other women I found on Instagram who were living a lifestyle around macros and and heavy lifting. I saw Joan MacDonald (@Trainwithjoan) and her daughter Michelle (@yourhealthyhedonista) and was amazed at Joan’s transformation. This is also where I found Ilene (@silverandstrong) as well as many of The Wonder Women Coaches and their clients. The fitness support team I have built is uplifting and amazing.

I have never had an online coach, but I am seriously looking at my options and hope to have one soon. Up to this point, I have been learning as I go and I would offer this advice to anyone that wants to get started on their own health and fitness transformation journey:

  • Learn about macros. Knowledge is power and once you understand the power of macros you will be in control of your nutrition.
  • Find videos on weightlifting. You don’t have to start with heavy weights, you just need to start. There are so many videos from beginner to intermediate to advanced available online.
  • Build a community on Instagram of like-minded women. This has been instrumental in keeping me motivated, inspired and engaged. Participate, ask questions, reach out, post your journey, recipes, pictures and don’t be afraid to speak to your struggles. No matter where we are on your journey, we all have struggles. As my Instagram name says “life’s like that.” There is no shame in being real!
  • Read books that inspire you or help you grow. Some of my favourite books so far are:
    • Atomic Habits – James Clear
    • The High 5 Habit – Mel Robbins
    • The Mountain is You- Brianna Wiest
    • The Big Leap – Gay Hendricks
    • Think Like a Warrior – Darrin Donnelly
    • Flex Your Age – Joan MacDonald
  • Listen to motivational podcasts. I like to do this when I’m getting my daily steps in.

I’ve had lots of setbacks in my journey and my weight has been creeping back up this year as I deal with healing some childhood trauma. I am giving myself grace and kindness while I work through this with a therapist. What I know for sure is I would not have had the emotional or mental strength to deal with this had I not taken control of my life and proved to myself how strong I really am. Losing weight is what most of us focus on, but learning what makes me tick, digging deep into my mindset, understanding why I self-sabotage, loving myself and knowing I am enough is what will ultimately make me successful in maintaining a healthy, strong lifestyle. This is what will build my character, my integrity – learning to be true to myself and give me the strategies and habits I will need to lean into when life happens, as it always will.

I am excited to see where life leads me. I never, ever thought I would have a positive outlook on aging, but I have lots I want to accomplish in my life and at 64, I am looking forward to what the future holds.

Categories
Mindset Nutrition

Why Counting Macros Is Important At Any Age

Have you ever found yourself in the grocery aisle staring at a nutrition label wondering what all of those numbers actually mean versus what society wants us to think they mean? I hear you! It can be confusing and in a world where we’re constantly bombarded with so many different sources of information. It can be hard to know what to do.

The role of these nutrients goes beyond just what you see on the label. When it comes to fitness and overall well being, food is fuel so it’s important to know which you should eat more or less of, in order to achieve your goals. Take protein, carbohydrates and fats for example. These three macronutrients (aka macros) not only fuel your daily activities, but go the extra mile by powering up your immune system, keeping your heart healthy as you age, and supporting a healthy metabolism.

Protein, carbs, and fats make up a percentage of almost every food that we eat, so it’s important to understand the roles they play in reaching our individual goals. For example, someone looking to maintain her current weight but change their body composition would eat a different amount of each macro than someone who is in the middle of prepping for a fitness competition or someone on a build. That intake is also impacted by individual lifestyle factors and health markers so it’s important to get the advice of a professional who understands how your unique goals and lifestyle may impact your macronutrient needs.

Whether your goals are strength, overall wellness, or aesthetics, understanding your nutrition has the ability to move you forward on a path to improved health and lifelong wellness, no matter your age. Once you know how your macronutrient intake affects your body, regularly keeping track of your macros can be a super helpful tool that can fine-tune your energy, help build muscle, and foster more mindful eating habits.

Understanding Macros

When it comes to nourishing your body, think of carbs, proteins, and fats as allies that work together to give your body what it needs. The ratios needed will vary from person to person based on individual goals, but their role in your body’s health is the same across the board.

Protein is the one macronutrient that everyone knows is important, but most people don’t get nearly enough of. Protein is a powerhouse that serves multiple roles, from strengthening your immune system to supporting hormone and enzyme production to fueling your body after a workout and repairing muscle fibers.

Carbs are often seen as something to stay away from, but in actuality, they are really important. They are your immediate energy suppliers and are crucial when your brain or muscles require a quick lift. Rethink carbs as fuel, not something to fear.

Fats are equally important, especially for women. They offer sustained energy, help balance hormones, and aid the absorption of vital vitamins like E, D, and A.

Most foods are actually combinations of these 3 macronutrients as well as micronutrients (aka vitamins and minerals).

Take salmon, for example. Not only is it rich in beneficial omega-3 fatty acids, but it’s also packed with quality protein.

Quinoa, a carbohydrate stronghold, also contains meaningful amounts of fat and protein, which makes it a popular choice among plant-based eaters because it is one of the only plant-based options that is a complete protein source, meaning it has all 9 essential amino acids.

So we know what the role of each macronutrient is, but what is the difference between counting macros and counting calories?

And more importantly, what are they?

Calories are units of thermal energy while macros are what a food is composed of. Think of counting calories as the umbrella. The overall number of calories you consume on a daily basis is a snapshot of your day, but doesn’t give the whole picture. By counting macros, we can take control over what we put in our bodies and understand what the foods we eat are made up of and how that relates to our health and fitness goals.

Although there are different ways to measure intake, both macros and calories are deeply intertwined and equally important when it comes to health and fitness goals. After all, protein, carbs, and fat each have calories.

Here is a quick breakdown of how many calories are in each of the key macronutrients.

1g Protein = 4 Calories
1g Carbohydrates = 4 Calories
1g Fat = 9 Calories

Benefits of Counting Macros

From boosting your energy levels to building muscle, managing weight, and eating mindfully, tracking your macros can help you make better food choices for your everyday life.

Boosting Energy Levels

Keeping track of your macros combines structure with flexibility by allowing you to understand how your energy is affected by your meals and giving you the power to adjust how and when you eat your energy for various tasks and goals throughout the day.

For example, if you have work meetings or brainstorming sessions that require sustained focus, you can tweak your macro ratio for the day to include a higher percentage of complex carbs in your lunch which would ensure a steadier release of energy to stay engaged for longer and be more productive during your workday.

Counting Macros for Muscle Gain

Keeping tabs on your macros can be a powerful tool for muscle building. In fact, some research shows that a macro diet consisting of 15-20% fats, 25-30% protein, and 55-60% carbs may be optimal for muscle gain. Tracking these percentages enables you to finetune your diet to make your workouts more effective. Eating a larger amount of carbs (than what you eat during other meals) shortly before a weight training session as well as the meal right after, can support lifting heavier weights during the session and fuel muscle growth through repair after the session.

Maintaining Healthy Weight

Various studies suggest that you should aim for about 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein daily for each kilogram you weigh. Including 25 to 30 grams of protein in each meal (and eating five meals a day) not only helps to manage hunger more effectively, but may also lead to better heart and metabolic health.

Improved Food Quality

Tracking macros can encourage mindful eating by making you more aware of the nutritional value of the foods you eat. This understanding can help you make more intentional choices and foster a healthier relationship with food. As a result, you will be more inclined to choose nutrient-dense foods and less tempted to grab processed snacks filled with sugar as those will not help you meet your macro goals. Further, there is something “real” about making the commitment to write down what you eat. That action alone often makes you think long and hard about whether you really want the food you’re considering putting in your body that you know does not support your health and fitness goals.

If you have specific fitness goals, counting macros can steer you toward healthier food options. For example, if your goal is muscle-building, which often demands a higher protein intake, consider healthy macro foods like beans, fish, or chicken over processed protein bars that may be full of additives.

Similarly, if a higher carbohydrate intake aligns with your goals, nutrient-dense foods such as quinoa and sweet potatoes are preferable to simpler carbohydrates found in pasta or white bread.

Counting Macros for Healthy Aging

With age can come a number of potential health challenges, but aging does not mean that we have to give up on the goal of wanting to look and feel our best. Your perspective on the aging process makes all the difference. If you look at healthy aging as something to celebrate, any new decade (especially 50, 60 or more!) can kick off some of the most exciting years of your life. At the same time, certain age-related challenges can be a reality, which require more attention to our food and fitness choices. We can navigate these challenges effectively through mindful nutrition choices, keeping physically active, and keeping track of nutrition through counting macros.

Regardless of age, health goals can vary greatly from person to person. While one person may want to focus on maintaining or increasing physical strength, another may want to focus on body composition. Adjusting the proportions of the macronutrients you consume is one way that you can effectively address these goals. For example, if you’re looking to achieve healthy weight loss after 50, understanding how to calculate and track your macros can be an extremely helpful tool to ensure you are maintaining the appropriate macronutrient targets based on the advice of your coach. There are also other benefits that go beyond weight loss that factor into other areas of health which could become concerns as you age.

Bone health, especially for women during the menopausal transition, deserves special attention, especially if you do any type of weight training. While calcium and vitamin D are not macronutrients, the balance of your proteins, fats, and carbs helps in optimizing their absorption. For example, when supplementing with vitamin D, because it is a fat-soluble vitamin, taking it with something like avocado or another heart healthy source of fat can potentially increase its absorption which can benefit calcium uptake and overall bone health.

Each of the macronutrients plays a key role in our ability to maintain overall physical health. They are also extremely important for brain health as we age. In addition to your diet, you can help support brain health and cognitive function by regularly getting physical activity. One of the best activities for your body as you age is weight training, which supports strong bones and maintaining or building muscle to allow you to continue to move, be active and live independently as you age. It’s also extremely important to get enough good quality sleep. Complex carbohydrates, such as those found in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables act as the brain’s primary fuel and by maintaining a balanced intake of these carbs, you ensure a steady energy source for the brain, vital for memory, focus, and overall cognitive health.

Why Calorie & Macro Calculators Aren’t Effective

As we’ve covered, a large part of counting macros is understanding your caloric needs based on your height, weight, activity level, age, and other important health markers that vary on a bio-individual basis. While there are many calorie and macro calculators available online, something they do not take into account are the unique factors about your lifestyle and goals, which likely impact what your body requires o a daily caloric basis.

These calculators do not have a consistent calculation method across the board so your results can drastically vary from source to source. Due to these factors, these calculators are often inaccurate and can potentially do more harm than good. Because there are so many factors that come into play here, it is best to work with an experienced coach who has intimate knowledge of macro based nutrition and can help you identify macro and calorie targets for your goals, both now and in the future as they evolve.

Wrapping Up

Far from being a diet trend, counting macros is a practical way to look after your health, no matter your age. Whether your focus is on feeling more energetic, getting stronger, keeping your weight balanced, or cultivating a more mindful relationship with food, tracking macros gives you the tools to make smarter choices. By aligning your food choices with your personal goals, working with a coach who understands macro based nutrition can help set you up for success on the path to lasting health and wellness.

Categories
Mindset Nutrition

Transforming Your Health is an Inside Job

When we think about “getting healthy”, most people initially focus on their physical appearance to either lose weight or build muscle. However, if what you truly want is to transform your health, you must go beyond the physical. You need to combine those physical efforts with other factors that often don’t get the attention they deserve. The key is to take a holistic approach to your health, which includes coming up with a plan to implement important and basic changes in your daily habits that combine actions that result in both external and internal positive health changes.

One factor that can be a key part of supporting good health, especially as we age, are the addition of supplements. While many people do not like the idea of taking vitamins and minerals every day, unless you are one of the few who focuses on your diet to make sure you eat a large and varied amount of food to meet your daily vitamin and mineral needs, supplements can make a significant, positive difference in your overall health. For example, vitamin D and fish oil can assist in making larger gains in your weight training results. In addition, these supplements support cognitive brain function, especially when taken together.

Fish Oil: A Powerful Ally in Strength Building

Weight training is well-known for building muscle and ramping up strength. In the fitness world, training for hypertrophy – enlarging your muscle fibers to improve your body’s ability to produce force – is often considered the gold standard when trying to build lean muscle mass. While the benefits of adequate protein intake when weight training are clear, you might be surprised to learn that fish oil can also play a role in boosting your strength.

In a recent eye-opening study, scientists looked at how taking omega-3-rich fish oil supplements can affect strength. They followed 28 young, fit adults as they went through a 10-week strength training program. Half of them took 4.5 grams of fish oil every day for 10 weeks and the other half took a placebo.

The scientists took blood tests at the beginning and end of the study to establish a baseline for omega-3 levels and measure changes in the participants’ labs. They also used a simple test called the “one rep max” (more lovingly known as a 1RM) to measure the max weight each person could lift for a single repetition. Then they compared this to each person’s body weight to get a fuller picture of their overall strength.
Here’s what they found: The people who took fish oil saw their omega-3 levels shoot up by a staggering 109% while the placebo group saw barely any change. Both groups managed to grow more muscle and lose some body fat, but the fish oil group got stronger.

For example, in the bench press, those who took fish oil got about 18% stronger while the placebo group still saw an increase, but it was significantly lower at just 10%. When they tested squats, the fish oil group led the way with a 28.8% jump in strength compared to the placebo group’s 20.5% gain. Even more, those taking fish oil had better results when their strength gains were compared to their own body weight.

Now you might be asking, “Is this just for young people who are already fit?” Not at all. The benefits of omega-3s go beyond age and can actually have added benefits for those looking to get and stay fit over fifty. In addition to strength gains, taking fish oil can be a game-changer for joint stiffness, inflammation, and regulation of triglycerides. Needless to say, getting adequate omega-3 can help give you the edge you need to maintain an active lifestyle. As you get stronger, you will be able to lift more and potentially achieve a greater range of motion, which circles back to growing even more muscle and sometimes activating muscles you didn’t even know you had. It’s a fantastic cycle that helps you stay active and healthy, no matter your age.

Vitamin D for Healthy Brain Function

While physical strength is a great goal to have when looking to stay healthy as you age, healthy brain function is often overlooked and under-supported. Over time, natural changes in brain function often progress silently, leading to cognitive issues like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, but just because it happens naturally does not mean that all hope is lost. A new study shows that taking а vitamin D supplement can improve your mental health and cognitive performance, making it one of the key nutrients for brain health.

The participants in this study, all 65 or older and experiencing minor memory issues, were followed for a year during which some were given vitamin D while others received a placebo. When the results rolled in, those taking vitamin D showed promising improvements in various cognitive tests, ranging from memory and vocabulary to spatial understanding and problem-solving.

This study does more than just highlight the benefits of vitamin D for cognitive health; it invites us to reconsider our approach to aging and well-being overall. It has also often been found that vitamin D is most bioavailable when taken with a low to moderate amount of fat so taking your fish oil supplement at the same time can potentially amplify the benefits. After all, who doesn’t want to maximize their health? Getting and staying fit over 50, strong and healthy is about comprehensive care for both your body and your brain. As with anything, balance is key to guiding you toward a happy healthy, happy life at any age.

Wrapping Up

When it comes to health, it’s not just the obvious markers like a fit physical appearance that deserve attention. Supporting your body’s systems by adding in some backstage players like omega-3 and vitamin D can play a huge role in boosting our overall well-being. If you haven’t tried these supplements yet, it might be worth giving them a try.

Research backs it up: staying active and proper nutrition are the keys to optimal health which includes taking supplements to support our micronutrient needs. So, as we keep striving for better health, let’s chase beyond what we can see and put in the work to achieve strong bodies and strong minds.

Categories
Fitness Mindset Nutrition

Welcome To Silver and Strong

My name is Ilene Block. I am the founder of Silver and Strong Fitness and the creator of this blog. The Silver and Strong website, my new blog and the upcoming podcast all grew out of my own search for information and community as I began a fitness transformation on my 61st birthday. As I learned about tracking macros (macronutrients – protein, fats, carbohydrates) instead of calories, the magic of lifting weights to build muscle (not just tone) and, for the first time, really taking an effective look at mindset issues, i.e. why I did or did not make certain decisions – I finally achieved the goal of having my outside match my inside! My “inside” woman has always been fierce, focused, determined, hard working and driven to achieve her goals. Prior to this last transformation journey, she had been successful in every area of her life except being able to control her weight.

Thanks to the knowledge and generosity of Michelle MacDonald, the founder of The Wonder Woman program, and her mother, Joan MacDonald, the original inspiration to so many women, who generously shared her own transformation journey, beginning in her 70th year, I am now living my best life in my 60’s – active, healthy, taking on new challenges and maintaining a fit, healthy body and body weight for over 2 years – for the first time in my adult life. As part of this new lifestyle, I am blessed to be part of a growing community of “midlife” women who have joined me in this quest to live our best lives at 50+ – the healthiest, most vibrant, most joyful and satisfying. The goal is to age in good health, with vitality and joy and this blog is here to support that goal.

“Why another blog?” you may ask. Aren’t there already a ton out there? The short answer is “yes, BUT”. There are a lots of blogs and other resources that discuss women’s health and fitness is some manner, but, based on my research, there is very little available (as in, basically nothing) that focuses on post-menopausal women that isn’t talking about some terrible malady women need to worry about at our age and at this stage in our lives. There is plenty of information about living a “healthy lifestyle”, but its all very basic and surface and just “ok.” So, if you are someone who wants to live a basic, just ok life, those options would work for you. If you are reading this blog, I am going to assume that you are saying “hell to the NO” “okay” is not enough! I am looking to thrive, not survive!

I am proud to be part of a growing number of women who are gathering together to say, We are not invisible. Our best lives are NOT behind us. We, as a community, have a lot of wisdom and experience to offer others and we have a lot of life left to live! We are diving in headfirst and taking on new challenges at 50+. We are getting comfortable at being uncomfortable when most people our age are doing the exact opposite. We are certainly older, but we are wiser, more self confident and have more time (and money) to focus on ourselves. There is no reason these post menopausal years can’t be the best of our lives.

So, while this blog will cover topics that you can likely find in other places – I doubt you will find our focus – which is what is of interest to that post menopausal woman who has the time, energy, focus and determination to put herself first, maybe for the first time, take on new challenges, get comfortable with being uncomfortable and live her best life in her 50’, 60s and beyond. If this describes you, welcome to the revolution! Our numbers are growing and we will change the way the world sees women age 🎉.

If you have questions, ideas for future topics you’d like to see covered, are a post menopausal woman who transformed her health and body after menopause and would like to be featured in a future blog post or newsletter, please email me info@silverandstrong.com