Health and Wellness, Lately
I posted this on my SUBSTACK last month and figured it deserved a spot over here. It’s been a minute since I’ve done an updated wellness check, and since we’re rounding out the summer, there’s no time like the present. Most things have remained exactly the same, but I’ve made a few tweaks since July (read Testosterone and Peptides).
PS: Before hitting publish, I went back and reread this whole thing and HOLY SMOKES, you know what my biggest takeaway was?
This shit is a lot of work!@#$
But I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: if feeling strong, healthy and GOOD in your body is important to you, I think there comes a point in midlife where you have to accept that it requires discipline, effort and consistency…at least that’s my approach.
Accepting that mindset has actually minimized so much of my frustration with everything that’s evolving in this season of life. Instead of fighting my body or wondering why what worked at 35 doesn’t necessarily work at 47, I’ve decided to learn it, lean in, support it and put in the work.
And for me, the payoff has been worth it tenfold.
OKAY. Other than that tiny novel before the actual novel…BUCKLE UP….and let’s break it down, shall we…..it’s a long one friends so make sure you make it til the end!
THE FOUNDATION
For the past 10 years, I’ve subscribed to the FASTer Way lifestyle. It’s a non-negotiable for me, and it has served me through my mid-to-late 30s, postpartum, my 40s and now perimenopause……it’s wild as I’ve looked back at photos where I’ve documented various FASTer Way moments…..
FASTer Way & Solidcore 2018-2026
The reason I’ve stuck with it for a DECADE is pretty simple: it gives me a structured foundation my body and mind continually respond to, while still allowing that foundation to evolve as I do. Macro tracking. Strength training. Intermittent fasting, although I personally stick to a very manageable 12:12 window. Carb cycling. Intentional rest and recovery.
Have I tweaked things through the years? Absolutely. I’ve increased protein, eliminated low-carb days when they no longer served me, shifted my focus from simply being lean to building muscle, added in SolidCore, and adjusted my goals as my body and hormones have changed. I mean I’ve done this program from my mid thirties, through postpartum, perimenopause and everything in between. That’s actually what I love most about the FASTer Way. The foundation remains, but it’s met me where I am in life no matter the season.
STRENGTH TRAINING
THIS has been one of the BIGGEST shifts for me this year.
As I approach 50, muscle is the name of my game….I’ve said time and time again, Longevity is my motivation. We hear about the importance of maintaining lean muscle as we age constantly, and my husband will certainly concur. So I’ve become extremely intentional about my strength training. And when I say intentional, I mean I SHOW UP for my lifts. I don’t coast through the movements. I connect my mind to the muscle I’m working. I challenge myself instead of grabbing the same weights week after week. I safely push myself while always remaining mindful of my back.
But I also don’t overtrain and I value REST.
I stick to the FASTer Way strength workouts 3 days a week for approximately 30 minutes and add Solidcore 2–3 days a week. And since I frequently get asked about my core workouts, let’s talk about that for a hot second. Yes, there’s truth to the saying that “abs are made in the kitchen” in the sense that nutrition and overall body composition affect how visible those muscles are.
But YOU STILL HAVE TO TRAIN THE MUSCLE.
I’ve done a little over 530 Solidcore classes at this point (oh my look at my baby Calvin), and if you’ve ever taken one, you know those classes do 👏 not 👏 play when it comes to core work.
On top of that, I’m thinking about my core when I lift. RDL? Glutes, hammies AND core. Squat? Core engaged. Upper body? Core engaged. I’m constantly adding it to the equation, and I believe that consistency has made a huge difference.
NUTRITION
I’m not telling you anything groundbreaking here, but nutrition plays a HUGE role when you’re trying to reach specific body-composition goals. You have to fuel the muscle you’re working so hard to build. For me that means protein, fiber, complex carbs to fuel my workouts, and enough dietary fat to keep my body properly fueled and satisfied. AKA: macro tracking. All things that are already baked into the FASTer Way lifestyle I’ve followed for years. Do I dial in my nutrition when I’m home and in my routine? Yep. Will I also partake in the festivities when they count? ABSOLUTELY. It cannot be all work and no play in my book…..life is too damn short after all. Oh and speaking of books, I created a new digital cookbook chock full of easy, delicious, macro friendly, protein forward recipes!
And while everyone’s macros are specific to their goals, metrics, lifestyle…for shits and giggles here are My current macros:
198g carbs
53g fat
120g protein
I was closer to 130-140g of protein earlier this year and honestly just needed a little break, so I backed it down a tad.
HORMONES
This has been another KEY component of my wellness journey this year.
Under the medical guidance of my husband John, who specializes in hormone optimization for both women and men, I’ve gone from a gal DEEP in the throes of perimenopause, think night sweats, disrupted sleep, irritability and brain fog, to a 47-year-old who feels like herself again and has genuinely embraced this season of life. I’m approaching the one-year mark of HRT….it was a slow and steady approach…..We started with an estrogen patch and progesterone, and in the spring added testosterone cream after my labs showed very low testosterone levels. After discussing other options with John, I switched to a once-weekly testosterone injection in July and I have to say, the difference has been noticeable: energy, libido, strength and how I feel overall….everyone’s absorption rates are different so the shot allows for a more optimal dosing strategy.
PEPTIDES
Last fall and into the beginning of this year, I used GHK-Cu, a copper peptide, under medical supervision aka Dr. Johnny. I’ve since cycled off but plan to revisit it this fall. Personally, I noticed a big difference in my complexion and skin texture.
After about a Y E A R of listening to John talk about these medications with his patients and hearing their positive experiences, along with his personal GLP journey, my curiosity finalllllly got the best of me. In July, under his medical guidance, I decided to try a very low dose in an effort to combat my inflammation (labs showed my markers were quite high plus a suboptimal thyroid). Johnny also believes a GLP microdosing strategy can work synergistically with HRT to combat many of our perimenopausal symptoms. I wanted to have a month under my belt before I actually formed an opinion because prior to trying, even with all the medical benefits you hear, I was quite the skeptic. I didn’t start this because I wanted to replace what I’ve been doing ….and I didn’t want to lose weight per se nor was I looking for a shortcut around nutrition or strength training….I’m one of those odd birds who truly enjoys working out and the benefits it provides. In fact, I was apprehensive about trying it because I’ve worked so hard on my fitness and nutrition and dare I say I felt guilty. John would constantly remind me, whenever I brought up the aforementioned, of its secondary benefits in perimenopause and launch into all the reasons it could be a helpful tool. But as someone who’s busted her hump for what feels like forever, I just couldn’t wrap my brain around viewing it that way. Until now. I stand corrected.
But my biggest concern?
MUSCLE. I did NOT want to lose my muscle I’ve been focusing on building all year. I have worked my literal hind off to build and maintain muscle, especially at this stage of life. I had absolutely ZERO interest in sacrificing it. I truly wanted to see how I FELT and if it would improve those markers.
And this is where my experience gets interesting and eye opening…….My first dose was low, but apparently not low enough for me. Within two days, my appetite had decreased enough that I found myself having to force down my protein. And I HATED IT…..listen I LOVE food…hell I have cookbooks for shit’s sake. I want to want food…enjoy my meals, eat the hangover donut….indulge in the Wiley Wallaby licorice…and most importantly, I want to fuel my workouts. I knew that chronically under-eating was completely at odds with my muscle building goals.
So John and I immediately adjusted my dose downward…..
And THAT has been my sweet spot so far. I still get hungry. I still enjoy food. I still hit my macros. I still prioritize protein. I still strength train. And according to the body-composition data I’m tracking at home, I’ve maintained my muscle (yay!) while losing about 3 pounds which is plenty for me. I’ve also noticed a significant difference in my inflammation and bloating—-particularly at the end of the day, which was one of the biggest reasons I was curious about trying this in the first place…long story longer—-I feel FANTASTIC!!!
Could I attribute every change I’ve seen over the past several months to ONE thing? Nope. We’ve dialed in my testosterone. I’ve been incredibly consistent with strength training. I’m tracking my macros. I’m prioritizing protein. I’ve made changes based on my labs and last month added a microdose of a GLP. And while I wish I could point to one exact thing, I think my results are the sum of ALL of those things….again…it’s a shit ton of work am I right—-consistent work…… I have spent consistent time building the habits and foundation I have today and have pivoted along the way based on various factors whether it’s hormones, lifestyle, goals, you name it.
I think it’s important to note since there’s so much buzz (some polarizing) around peptides. Per John (and I agree), It DOES NOT REPLACE a structured foundation…strength training, hitting your protein, nourishing your body….I’m echoing the sentiments my husband tells all of his patients……he will not start a patient on a GLP without bloodwork, a V E R Y thorough assessment, understanding your personal goals, and a proper protocol. Everyone is different and requires a different approach. For me it is simply another tool I’m currently using under his medical supervision. And I know we all love a visual so here are similar shots…One was taken in May pre GLP and the other mid July.
If anything, my first week reinforced something I believe even MORE strongly now. If you’re using a medication that significantly changes your appetite, having an intentional plan for nutrition, protein and strength training becomes incredibly important. My goal isn’t to be as small as possible but rather to be strong, metabolically healthy (minimal inflammation), properly fueled and thriving as I head toward 50.
I’m not quite sure what my longterm plan is with the medication…I imagine I’ll let my labs dictate my next direction….I’ve witnessed Johnny cycle on and off of it over the last year so I imagine I’ll do something similar but who knows! We’ll repeat my bloodwork, look at how I’m feeling and make decisions from there with Dr. Johnny. My main interest is finding the minimum intervention that supports the bigger picture of my health while still allowing me to eat, train, build muscle and live life to the fullest.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t reiterate the importance of transparency…it matters to me….I wanted to have some experience with the medication prior to sharing my experience. I would never want someone to believe there is a one size fits all approach and/or assume there was one injection, one hormone, one supplement or one secret responsible because we all know There isn’t. It’s consistency plus an evolving understanding of what my 47-year-old body needs TODAY…..and every BODY is different.
The tools may evolve. The foundation hasn’t changed. I’ll keep sharing what I learn as we repeat labs and figure out what makes sense long term.
And PS: I’m sharing the deeper peptide conversation over here because Instagram can be a little finicky about this topic and I’m not interested in sending my account into the algorithm abyss. 😂 So ask away over here.
SUPPLEMENTS
Also under medical guidance and based on my bloodwork, I’m currently taking:
• Calcium
• Fish oil
As always, this is my personal experience and my individual medical plan, not a recommendation that anyone else follow the same protocol. Medications, hormones, peptides and supplements are conversations to have with your own qualified medical provider based on your health history, goals and labs. I’m very very fortunate I’ve got one of the best in the biz under my roof——my husband has done an INCREDIBLE job listening to my concerns, optimizing my health, and having me feel like my absolute best at 47. Now what kind of wife would I be if I didn’t shamelessly plug his practice, Next Level Direct Care—-he’s amazing I must say—and currently taking patients in IN, FL KY, SC, TX……you can schedule a complimentary consult HERE. And holy smokes if you’ve made it this far, congrats—-our attention spans aren’t in the gutter after all!!
Cheers friends—-thanks for tuning in and ask away—-I’ll have Dr. Johnny chime in if necessary!
