If You Are Ready to Recommit Yourself to Exercise, You Should: Create healthy metabolic habits by finding a way to hold yourself accountable Establish a base by trying different exercises that allow you to listen to your body Prioritize strength training and reaching muscular fatigue rather than burnout As women, we have been conditioned to believe that the harder and longer we work out, the better results and metabolism we'll get. While regular movement is critical for our heart, bones, brain, metabolism, hormones, and muscle, it is about the type of exercise and the length of time that really make a difference. Flipping 50 With Debra Atkinson Debra Atkinson has helped over 200,000 women “flip” their second half with the vitality and energy they want. A wellness coach, hormone balancing expert, and the founder of Flipping 50, Debra is passionate about helping both women and men get metabolically fit through methods they enjoy and provide powerful lifestyle changes. With her 37-years of full-time fitness experience, she is an expert at helping women in menopause take back control of their bodies. Recommitting Yourself to Exercise Many of us have found our exercise routines plateauing and our waistlines getting bigger throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. There is absolutely nothing to be ashamed about if you can relate to this feeling and want to recommit yourself to your exercise routine.  But did you know that it can take as little as 20 minutes a day of strength training to see the metabolic recovery you have been searching for? Debra’s approach is all about exercising smarter, not harder so that you can master your metabolism and get your fitness working for you. Get More Out of Your Workouts for Less Burning your mind and body out through exercise will never support your body in the way it needs to be supported. By focusing your workouts on achieving muscle fatigue, rather than the number of reps or minutes you spend at a machine, you can increase your metabolic rate and give your body the rest and recovery it needs to thrive. While exercise is vital for women of every age, it is especially important to have a tailor-made plan to set your body up for success during perimenopause, menopause, and beyond. By checking in with yourself, stopping overdoing it, and learning what is not working for your body, you can get more bang for your buck when it comes to your workouts and health. Are you ready to reset, get back on the saddle, and create a plan to benefit your metabolism and your hormones? Share what accountability tools you are going to use, like the 10 Day Hot, Not Bothered Challenge, to get moving again with me in the comments on the episode page.   In This Episode How the pandemic has impacted our weight, stress, inflammation, fitness, and more (6:58) What you can do to keep your healthy metabolic habits in place during the pandemic (13:44) Ways that strength training can stabilize your blood sugar and alleviate your anxiety and depression (20:25) The best plan of action to get back into your routine and rebound from the past year (23:14) Why cardio is not the best way to burn fat or achieve weight loss (31:59)   Resources Mentioned: 10 Day Hot, Not Bothered Challenge Flipping Fifty Website Follow Flipping Fifty on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube Follow Debra on LinkedIn   Other Resources: Check out the full show notes page Keep up with everything Dr. Mariza Follow Dr. Mariza on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube Podcast production & marketing support by the team at Counterweight Creative   Related Episodes:  Essentialy You episode #279: The Secret to Gliding, Not Slamming, Into Perimenopause and Beyond with Dr. Lakeischa, MD Essentially You episode #213: What Is the Right Exercise If You Are Dealing with Hormone Issues?  Essentially You episode #208: How Exercise Can Either Boost Your Metabolism or Damage It at Age 40+ with Debra Atkinson