Dr. Stacy Sims’ Guide to Fitness and Nutrition after 40

It’s worth noting that Dr. Sims has directed research programs at Stanford University focusing on female athlete health and performance, and she also has 94 peer-reviewed papers on the topic to her name.

Here’s what she has to say for those of us in the “women over 40” bracket:

What most people miss

Some notes on daily rhythm: Dr. Sims recommends to eat within an hour of waking, because cortisol spikes about 30 minutes afterwards, so, we can counter it with breakfast. She also advises we bookend our workouts with food, especially 30–40g of protein afterwards. Eat regularly through the day, have an adequate dinner, and avoid eating after dinner, to work with normal hormonal fluctuations.

You may be thinking “but I have long since menopaused; I do not have hormonal fluctuations”; in such a case, then do remember that “hormonal” doesn’t just mean sex hormones, it also means cortisol, serotonin, dopamine, leptin, ghrelin, insulin, and many others!

About heavy lifting after 40: declining estrogen changes muscle signalling, so women must rely more on central-nervous-system stimulation. Heavy loads create this stimulus, improving strength, power, lean mass, and nerve firing when hormonal signalling is reduced. So, lift heavy! But, also safely, please.

Some specific notes on high-intensity interval training (HIIT) of various kinds:

• SIT (sprint interval training): very short maximal bursts of 30 seconds or less at perceived exertion 9–10, followed by long recovery. effective for metabolic control and for signalling between skeletal muscle, the liver, and visceral fat. two intervals are usually the maximum for beginners if the effort is truly maximal.
• High-intensity training in general: true high intensity (e.g. 1–4 minute efforts at 80–90% of maximum heartrate with equal recovery) generates hormones that help lower cortisol afterwards. Moderate intensity does not create the same adaptive hormonal response.

On bone density, she recommends:

• Don’t bother with weighted vests for walking: wearing a weighted vest while walking can maintain existing bone but does not stimulate new growth. Basically, it doesn’t improve bone density because it lacks multi-directional stress, which is what’s needed per Wolff’s Law.
• Do use multi-directional jumps: for example, flat-footed pogo stick jumps or jumping rope, for about 10 minutes, three times per week. The “bone jump” app (developed from a 5-year study in 35–45-year-old women with low-normal bone density) provides structured jump progressions.

Two biggest things she wants us all to take into account, if we remember nothing else:

• Address sleep before fine-tuning training. Better sleep improves cravings, gut health, training response, and stress regulation.
• Ignore diet fads and instead focus on meal timing, consistent intake, and sufficient protein. Match your nutrition to your stress levels and training.

For more on all of this, enjoy:

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Want to learn more?

You might also like:

Next Level – by Dr. Stacy Sims ← this is her book specifically about going from strength to strength through menopause and beyond 😎

Take care!