By Dr. Carla DiGirolamo MD, CFL1    Fall and fracture prevention has risen in the ranks alongside cardiovascular health in importance for longevity and vitality. Loss of function, mobility, and independence as a result of osteoporosis and fracture are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in aging women.   So today we are going to arm ourselves in this battle with movement patterns that will help improve balance and stability, along with muscular strength and bone care - with a little intensity built in so that our cardiovascular sys ..read more

  By Carla DiGirolamo, MD, CFL1   The push-up is right beside the squat among the most foundational of the functional movements. This movement requires the recruitment of many muscle groups, including the muscles of the shoulder, rotator cuff, pectoral muscles, muscles of the upper back, and, of course, the muscles of the core of the body.   When we think of “functional” in terms of longevity, the strength in the musculature required for the push-up helps you to get up from a chair and in the unfortunate case of needing to get up off of the floor after a fall.&nbs ..read more

  By Dr. Carla DiGirolamo MD, CFL1   This week's workout focuses on a key area that often falls through the cracks and that is overhead strength, mobility, and stability. Moving weight overhead is a functional movement required for everyday activities such as lifting a box or any heavy object overhead to place on a high shelf.   This skill also can elevate athletic performance in sports that require core strength and stability, shoulder mobility, and balance.   Many athletes - at all levels - can be a little intimidated by movements that require balancing weight overhe ..read more

  By Carla DiGirolamo, MD, CFL1    Zone 2 training is defined as exertion in a heart rate range that is maintained at 60-70% of one’s maximum heart rate. There are many ways to calculate maximum heart rate with the most common method being subtracting your age from 220. If you do not have a heart rate monitor, an easy way to stay within the ballpark of this heart rate range is to hold your exertion to a level where you can maintain nasal breathing. But if your nostrils start flaring like a bull, slow it down! This is typically a “conversational” pace where you could converse wit ..read more

  By Dr. Carla DiGirolamo   In simple terms, the “hip joint” is the ball and socket joint where the head of the femur meets the pelvis. Flexion at the hip occurs, for example, when you do a sit-up. As your torso approaches your knees, the hip joint is “flexed” or closed. Hip extension occurs when you rise from the bottom of a squat to the standing position. In this case, the hip joint “opens” as you rise to a standing position.   The primary muscles involved in hip extension are the gluteal muscles and the hamstrings. This movement is important for walking, c ..read more

  By Carla DiGirolamo, MD, CFL1    This workout is a “go-to” for strength training if you're pressed for time or traveling. It’s versatile in that you can pair any two upper/lower body lifts that you wish, it's time-efficient, and can be done with minimal equipment. If you have time and unlimited access to equipment, that’s even better!   Try these movements with a barbell, dumbbells, or both. If you have only one weight available for both movements, there are alternative repetition options. You can increase the volume of the squats or perform “tempo” re ..read more

  By Carla DiGirolamo, MD, CFL1   Last week, we kicked off this workout series with a focus on grip strength. We reviewed why grip strength is important and its correlation with various health metrics, such as low bone mineral density (BMD), depression, anxiety, sleep quality, fractures, diabetes, falls, and malnutrition. Our first workout challenged your grip with some added core stability and cardiovascular stimulation to round out the day. If you missed it, you can view the workout HERE.   This week is Part 2 of our focus on grip strength with another workout incorporati ..read more

  By Carla DiGirolamo MD, CFL1   Loss of muscle mass and strength with age is related to many factors including the overall physiological changes with aging and the menopausal transition, reduced activity levels, changing nutrition - among other factors. Excessive loss of muscle mass (sarcopenia) and strength (dynapenia) are major causes of mortality and loss of independence and quality of life in the aging population. Hand grip strength (HGS) is an accepted measure that reflects overall muscle strength and is widely used as a central mark ..read more

Welcome to a sneak peek of Feisty 40+, a newsletter designed  created for active women forty and older who want to shape their strongest, healthiest, happiest future. Written by Selene Yeager with contributions from Dr. Carla DiGirolamo, this is the newsletter that you've been waiting for!  Want Feisty 40+ in your inbox? Click here to join the list.    ? Got HVRT?   If you’re an active adult female of literally any age, chances are you’ve heard of HIIT–high intensity interval training, short bursts of eye-popping cardio that help improve VO2 max (how much oxygen y ..read more

Midlife women need to calculate their lifetime heart disease risks.   By Selene Yeager    We can’t let American Heart Month pass without a discussion on one of the most vexing cardiovascular factors menopausal women face—the changes that happen to their lipid levels during this transition.   Cardiovascular disease, such as heart disease and stroke, is the number one cause of death for women (and men). Though we’ve made progress in bringing those deaths down with medical intervention like lipid-lowering therapy, there has been a recent rise in cardiovascular mortality for mi ..read more