14 minGuest on the show
Amber
Amber is a mom of four who runs a program for women and did a 10-week cut in 2016 after years of lifting and working out.
Episodes with Amber
14 minWhat Amber talks about
How to Start Fat Loss Postpartum: Eat More, Lift, Go Slow
If you've been barely eating and doing cardio twice a day and the scale still won't move, this conversation will sound familiar. One guest shares how a trainer told her she was over-exercising and under-eating. She learned she was eating about 900 calories a day too little, roughly doubled her food, and lost five pounds in a month. The other change was lifting heavier instead of sticking to fives and tens.
A second guest makes the case for strength training as we age. He says you can still build muscle later in life. It may be harder, but it's possible. Stronger muscles and bones make a fall less likely, and if you do fall, you're less likely to break something. Nikkiey adds what she saw in her years as a nurse: hip fractures and falls that are scary to watch, especially once estrogen drops after menopause.
Finally, Amber, a mom of four, explains where to start after having a baby. Don't compare yourself to anyone. Use other women's success as proof of what's possible. Pull one lever at a time: start with a daily walk, then track your food without changing it, and build habits that last instead of chasing the fastest result.
- You can still build muscle as you get older; it may be a little harder, but it is always possible.
- Strength training makes you stronger and more stable, so you're less likely to fall, and better bone density means you're less likely to break something if you do.
- Over-exercising and under-eating can stall fat loss; one guest found she was under-eating by 900 calories a day and lost five pounds in a month after eating more.
- Muscle is the most metabolically active tissue in your body, so the more you have, the more you burn even when you're not working out.
- Sticking to 5- or 10-pound weights won't build visible tone; the guest saw tone only once she started lifting heavier, and lifting won't make you bulky.
Common questions
Can you still build muscle as you get older?
Yes. The guest says we used to think building muscle stopped at a certain age, but that isn't true. It may be a little harder, but you can always do it.
How does strength training help prevent broken bones?
Being stronger makes you more stable, so your chances of falling go down. If you do fall, the chances of breaking something are lower because you've built up your bone density.
Can eating more actually help you lose weight?
For one guest, yes. A trainer showed her she was under-eating by about 900 calories a day. She roughly doubled her food and lost five pounds in about a month.
Will lifting heavy weights make women bulky?
Both guests say no. Your body won't naturally turn into a bodybuilder's. One guest saw no tone with light weights and only got toned once she lifted heavier.
Where should a new mom start with fat loss postpartum?
Amber suggests not comparing yourself and making healthy changes one at a time. Start with a daily walk with your baby, then begin tracking your food without changing it.