Are you tired of battling stubborn belly fat as you age? You're not alone; many women over 40 face this challenge, and it's more than just an aesthetic concern—it's a significant health risk. In this episode of The Holly Perkins Health Podcast, I dive deep into the realities of fat loss and how it relates to women's health, particularly as we navigate the changes that come with menopause and midlife. Did you know that belly fat can increase your risk for heart disease and diabetes? It's crucial to understand the underlying factors contributing to this issue, including hormonal changes and muscle loss.
Are you tired of battling stubborn belly fat as you age? You're not alone; many women over 40 face this challenge, and it's more than just an aesthetic concern—it's a significant health risk. In this episode of The Holly Perkins Health Podcast, I dive deep into the realities of fat loss and how it relates to women's health, particularly as we navigate the changes that come with menopause and midlife. Did you know that belly fat can increase your risk for heart disease and diabetes? It's crucial to understand the underlying factors contributing to this issue, including hormonal changes and muscle loss.
Drawing from my extensive experience working with clients, I share that fat loss doesn’t have to involve excessive cardio or extreme carb restrictions. Instead, I advocate for a balanced approach that emphasizes strength training and proper nutrition. I explore how decreased estrogen and altered insulin sensitivity can lead to increased belly fat, and I provide actionable strategies for managing this challenge. You'll learn about the importance of regulated blood sugar, how to pair carbohydrates with protein effectively, and the right macronutrient ratios that can support your goals.
Throughout our discussion, I encourage you to adopt a proactive mindset towards your health and body composition. Remember, positive changes are not only achievable but also sustainable with the right program and motivation. I emphasize that building lean muscle for women is vital for effective fat loss, and I offer practical workout tips that can fit seamlessly into your lifestyle. Whether you're looking for toning workouts, clean eating tips, or ways to boost your energy levels, this episode is packed with valuable insights tailored for women over 35.
Join me as we tackle the complexities of weight loss, nutrition for women, and the unique challenges faced during menopause. Together, we can redefine what it means to be healthy and vibrant in midlife. Let’s embark on this journey to better health, one step at a time! If you're interested in womens health, this is the podcast for you.
Get FREE lifetime access to my 4-week Strength Without Stress program today! This unique program helps you build lean muscle and reduce inflammation—without the fatigue from long or intense workouts. All you need to do is post a review of my podcast, grab a screenshot, and upload it at: hollyperkins.com/review
This offer won’t last—soon it will sell for $197. Don’t miss your chance to grab it free!
Resources:
• Get up to 40% off Beam’s best-selling Dream Powder when you enter HOLLYP at checkout.
• Transcripts can be found on the official blog page for this episode here
• Find me on Instagram: @hollyperkins
• Discover more on my website: hollyperkins.com
+Follow so you'll know exactly when new episodes are available on Tuesdays.
Speaker #0 It's true, belly fat grows with every passing birthday for most women, and it doesn't have to be that way. It's understandable to feel frustrated because fat loss is a bit of a mystery, but what doesn't work... is more cardio and fewer carbs. My most successful clients prove that I have cracked the code on fat loss and lean muscle. So if you want to hear what you can do to improve your midsection, keep listening. Hello and thank you for being here. If you are new, welcome, welcome. I'm honored truly that you are listening. I'm Holly Perkins and I help women mostly over 40, although that's changing. Welcome to all my ladies who are under 40. But I help women improve body composition to at least 70% lean mass. Why? Because that is the threshold where your risk of disease goes down and you get the body that you want so that you can keep up with the life that you love. in a body that is strong and resilient and able to stay in the game of life and out of the rocking chair. So if you missed it, be sure to check out episode 76, Belly Fat Loss in 14 Days, How Nikki is Transforming Her Body After 40. Because when I saw Nikki's progress photos just last month, I was blown away. In just two weeks, There was a very significant change in her body composition, and the most shocking improvement was in her midsection. Her belly fat literally melted away in 14 days. And even as I say that, to me, it even feels like marketing hype, but I promise it's not. And that's why I want you to listen to the episode. Go look at her photos yourself because it is so wow. It blew me away. And here is what makes her story so powerful and encouraging. She is number one in her 40s, and number two, she did not do any HIIT workouts, high intensity, tons of cardio, no sprint training, no carb cycling, or even carb restriction. In fact, you'll hear she increased her carbohydrates. You'll hear her tell you that she actually worked less in those two weeks. And most incredibly, she says it was actually easier than she thought it would be. And here's the thing. When I create programming, these are the results that I know you are capable of. Every single woman is capable of these kind of results. And I know that if you were to follow my programming, and it doesn't even have to be my programming, if you follow the right programming, you can get these kind of results too. And how do I know that? Because I know what Nikki did and it wasn't all that spectacularly difficult. It really wasn't complex or even as she would say hard. She simply followed my programming. So why was it so easy for her? She simply followed a professionally written program that's comprehensive and she followed it to a T. She is a straight a student and she went for it. And so there's something to be said in that. Because often people will come to me, I've got participants right now inside of the Body Composition Project, where my program, the same exact program, the same exact group that Nikki is in, is laid out in front of them. And for whatever reason, they're not able to be a straight A student. No shame, no blame. And if you're sitting there thinking, I want these kind of results, I need you to know it really is simply two things. One, getting the right program, and two, doing it. Actually following through. And so if you feel like you've gone for it and you've tried and you haven't gotten the results that you want, it's really important to have a gentle moment, put your hand on your heart, and say to yourself, can I honestly say that I have been following my programmed to a T. Without blame, without guilt, but just an honest, objective assessment. So if you are still in the struggle, confused by why your belly is growing and growing or getting softer despite working out and eating right according to what you think is right, this episode should help. Your life is being influenced by how you feel each and every day when you wake up. If you are feeling unhappy or sluggish, or frustrated or just feeling terrible in general or even embarrassed about where your body is, it's no way to live your life and it doesn't have to be that way. You are short changing your life and the people in it. And it doesn't have to be that way, my friend. And how surprised would you be to find out that it's actually easier than you think to turn it all around? When you listen to my advice and take action, you can eliminate the belly fat that could also be threatening your long-term health. So in this episode, you'll learn why belly fat becomes more of an issue with each passing birthday. Why belly fat is more than just annoying and unsightly, it's actually dangerous. And some of the things that I teach my clients so that you can steal my secrets and start getting a leaner, tighter, healthier midsection. There is one thing I know for certain. It is undeniable that your life will be best when you are in a strong, resilient, and lean. body. I truly 100% know that and believe that. When you feel good about where your body and your health are, and when you're brimming with energy, you walk through the world differently, don't you? And can you think of a time when you felt really good in your body? See if you can think back to at any point in your life, even if it was a day, maybe even if it was years and years years ago. Was there ever a time when you felt great? And if so, what did your life look like during that time? Who were you? What was your attitude? Were you smiling? Were you brimming with energy? Were you more outgoing? Were you happier? Did you tackle life's challenges differently? You'd probably say yes, or at least you catch my drift, right? Wow, when I think back to those... handful of episodes and a couple really jump out at me. These specific days where I was just unstoppable. It could almost make me cry, honestly, because I was so powerful. I was so filled with life. I was bursting at the seams with all of me. And that is what happens when you are so good in your physical body. and when you feel good about where your body is. And if you can remember back to a time like that, you might not even recognize that person because she seems so far from where you are right now. But I promise you, if she was once there, she's still inside of you, waiting for you to make some changes to your habits because that is what got you there. And that's all it takes at this time. to start moving back towards the best version of yourself. Now, after that inspirational little pep talk that we all need, I will say that belly fat is problematic. It is confusing. And for most people, it is truly hard to change. So if belly fat is something that you've been struggling with, and a lot of women do, and you feel bad about it, please know, it is not your fault. It is hard to address. And that is a reason why it has plagued you up until now. If it were easy to remedy, no one would be dealing with it. And that's just not the case. So take it from someone who's been in business for 30 years, who is a woman herself, you should not feel bad about it. Because you might unknowingly be making some mistakes that add to the problem. And that's great news because knowledge is everything. Once you have the information that you need, you get to decide when you're ready and willing to turn it all around. So just the other day, I heard a podcast interview with two respectable, highly regarded doctors talking about what an epidemic belly fat is for women. And they were dissecting why that is and all of the science behind it and the biology and the chemistry at play and why belly fat just seems to grow and grow and hypothesizing the ways to fix it. And as I listened, I kind of chuckled a bit because around here, belly fat really ain't no big thing, if you hear me. And if, and that's a very big, bolded... underscored if you actually follow the right program. Actually, honestly, not that hard. What's hard is taking action. And that's the piece of the puzzle that I struggle with the most as a coach, because I will give you the holy grail. And that is not hyperbole. My clients prove this. I see it all the time. Every single week with my clients, I see it. But the problem is I can't make you do it. I can't have you hear every word that I say. I can't help you when you get out of bed in the morning. The hardest piece of this puzzle is getting the roadmap and then doing it. But if you'll do it, hmm, this episode is going to help. Over the past recent years, I have become more and more aware that my clients are doing something different from the rest of the world. I've noticed that my clients really do prove what I just said, that belly fat doesn't have to be this indomitable monster that it's made out to be. And sometimes I look at media and social media, and I'm like, am I missing something? Because it's not that hard around here. We're doing it, we're fixing it. And so really, and truly, I'm like, what am I missing? It's not that hard. And so that's when I've realized like, oh, we're doing something different. So I've dissected the aspects of my programming. that I believe are the key factors in releasing body fat, and in particular, belly fat
and visceral adipose tissue known as VAT, the dangerous belly fat that we really do need to be worried about. If you don't know, or if you're new to my community, I run DEXA scans or in-body scans or bod pods on every single client that I work with. So I've got the great privilege and insight to be looking at DEXA scans. all the time. And I can tinker with my clients' programming. They get a DEXA scan down the road, and I know exactly what works. And what we're seeing inside of the Body Composition Project is that visceral adipose tissue is the thing that changes first. We are attacking and targeting that deep belly fat faster than what I'm seeing out in the world. And I'm seeing it happen at a variety of calorie intakes, a variety of... cardio programming at a variety of ages and decades. And so it's happening for so many of my clients. And in particular, we're seeing big changes in belly fat. So let me share my belly fat fix so that you can get fat loss and lean muscle right because they go hand in hand. First, let me say this, belly fat is not a moral problem. It is a metabolic and health problem. And when you understand why it happens, you can finally start doing something about it. So here are the real issues. Number one, belly fat is hormonally active. It's not just extra body mass that's hanging around, although it's that too. But the bigger worry is that it's metabolically active. Belly fat, especially the deep visceral kind, isn't just extra weight. It actually behaves like an organ. releasing chemicals and hormones that increase inflammation, which you know is the root of all evil. Inflammation is the biggest problem of all. And belly fat makes fat loss harder. Isn't that crazy? So the more of that deep visceral belly fat that you have in belly fat in general, because it's metabolically active, it makes fat loss harder. So you got to get your programming variables right. It disrupts hunger cues, and it increases stress hormones. So it becomes a loop where belly fat itself creates conditions that make it easier to gain more. That is why it's such a bugger. And that is why it's like a runaway train. As it starts to grow, it just like gets loose from you. And oh, by the way, I'm speaking from experience because after being in the fitness industry my entire life, and I'm in my 50s, proud to say I've been on every side of this conversation. I have been ripped, I have been super fit, and I have been a mess. I've had belly fat and I've had ripped abs. I've had it all. So I know how this goes personally as well as as a coach. So number two, belly fat is a sign and a symptom of... declining muscle mass. For women over 40, but really, really with every passing birthday, belly fat is often the first visible sign that you're losing muscle mass in general. When muscle goes down, your metabolism slows, insulin sensitivity drops, cortisol increases, and fat storage shifts. to the midsection in particular. How surprised would you be if your quote-unquote belly fat problem was actually a muscle problem? Ooh, that gets exciting, doesn't it? Because building muscle really feels like a very positive thing that you can tackle. This is exactly why I will go to my grave preaching the importance of strength training for long-term health. Muscle is not just a beauty secret. It is one of the most important things that you can do to protect your health and your midsection. Number three, belly fat impacts long-term health. Visceral belly fat, visceral adipose tissue, VAT, is strongly linked to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancers, insulin-resistant inflammation levels, which, as I just said, is a big problem, and mobility and joint issues. A person can feel fine and still have elevated visceral fat that quietly affects their health over time. And I see this in my DEXA scans. Women will come to me, their photos, they look like the picture of health. Their body composition is reasonable. Some women even look super fit. But when we take a look underneath the skin at their DEXA scan, we find that their VAT is a bordering on dangerous. And that's what we're talking about here is really targeting fat and belly fat from a different perspective. In a moment, you'll hear exactly why belly fat grows with each passing birthday and three specific things I teach my clients to help them start releasing body fat in as little as two weeks. But first, I want to share one of my personal hacks for keeping my own belly fat in check now. I practice what I preach and my strength training and my nutrition habits play a big role in my body fat levels, even when they're a little bit higher. And without a doubt, over the years, I have noticed that I released body fat more easily when
I got my sleep right. And we know this from research too. This isn't just my own insight. Poor or insufficient sleep is part of the belly fat conundrum. And these days, my secret weapon to ensure a great night's sleep is Beams Dream Powder. It helps me get that like cozy, relaxed, deep sleep that I absolutely love. Have you ever experienced it? It is the best. And Beams Cyber Sale is still live for my listeners, and it is their best offer of the year, but only until the end of the week. Right now, my listeners get up to 50% off. That's a lot. And with my code HOLLYP, you can grab Dream for just about $1 per night. Dream is made with clean, science-backed ingredients like reishi, magnesium, L-theanine, apigenin, melatonin, formulated to help you fall asleep fast, stay asleep, and wake up refreshed. No grogginess, no crash. just that. deep restorative rest. And here's the best part. It actually tastes amazing. My favorite flavor is brownie batter, but they just brought back their peppermint bark flavor and I'm so excited to try it. I've heard it's like Christmas in a cup. So if you have been waiting for the right time to try Dream, this is it. Go to shopbeam.com forward slash hollypea. Use code hollypea. and get up to 50% off during Beam's cyber sale. But here's the catch. Dream is only available at this price until it sells out. So seriously, think about it. How much would you pay for a truly great night's sleep? With Beam's cyber price, it's just $1.08 per night. So go to shopbeam.com forward slash hollypea now. Next, it's helpful to know why belly fat increases every year. There are very real biological reasons this happens. And once you understand them, fat loss becomes so much easier. Here are the big ones. Number one, you start losing muscle and that changes everything. And oh, by the way, it starts at the age of 30, right around the age of 30, younger than a lot of women realize. This is the number one reason that belly fat creeps up with every passing birthday. Around this time, women naturally lose muscle every single year and it accelerates unless their strength training strategically. And so don't misunderstand me. We are losing muscle just in the aging process and it accelerates, but you can do something about it. That is why strength training is so important because you have to slow that progression. You have to slow or even halt the muscle loss. When muscle goes down, your metabolism slows, you burn fewer calories at rest, insulin sensitivity drops, and your body stores more fat in the abdomen. A person can be eating the same foods they always ate, but gaining belly fat because they simply have less muscle to support their metabolism and also to improve their body chemistry in general. Imagine if Building back that muscle could actually reverse belly fat because it actually can. That's why I approach things as a muscle first methodology. Number two, hormone shift, especially estrogen. You probably don't need to hear me say that again, but during menopause and perimenopause, estrogen declines and that estrogen helps to keep fat stored in the hips and thighs. So when you were younger, maybe in your 20s and 30s, you may have carried your weight more in your hips and thighs. But when estrogen drops, fat shifts to the abdominal area. Crazy, right? This hormonal shift makes belly fat easier to gain and harder to lose. And it's completely normal, by the way. And it's not permanent. Number three, your body becomes more carb sensitive. As women get older, Changes in insulin sensitivity can make the body more reactive to skipping meals, or under eating, or blood sugar dysregulation, eating carbs without protein, relying on sugar for energy, caffeine, alcohol, and ding, ding, ding, insufficient carbs in general. The result of this change in sensitivity is more fat stored around the midsection. But when you eat meals centered around protein with carbs strategically paired, your belly finally begins to respond. And that is what I see in my practice. So now that you know and you understand why belly fat increases and why it's worrisome, let me reveal why I believe my programming is so effective at targeting belly fat in particular. and the three top things that I believe have the biggest impact for my clients. Now, keep in mind, this is not an exhaustive list because my programs are incredibly detailed, very well thought out. They're very strategic. But if I were to be interviewed on a podcast and could only reveal the top three things that I think are the most impactful, here they are. Number one, regulated blood sugar is... Everything. When your blood sugar is
stabilized, you tap into body fat stores better, cortisol goes down, and you're able to burn off belly fat. My approach to nutrition teaches very specific ways to get your blood sugar stable. And listen, there's a number of ways out there in the world that you could do this, including taking medications. But to my knowledge, None of my current participants in my program are taking any medications to help in the process. Stable blood sugar levels are everything to your biology and it's how your body is designed to run. And so when you get that right all throughout the day, while you're sleeping or even during your workouts, you're utilizing fat substrates as your fuel, not carbohydrates. rates. And what this does is it keeps carbohydrates in your muscles and your liver and your brain, and you're burning and using fat, and in particular, body fat and belly fat, to get you through the day. And you have to have regulated and stable blood sugar to achieve this. There are a handful of things that you can do to improve blood sugar regulation. Here are the first steps that I teach my clients. Number one. eat within 60 minutes of getting out of bed. I get some kickback on this, especially in light of the intermittent fasting world and in light of the fact that a lot of women just aren't hungry in the morning. And I know that it can be hard to eat when you get up in the morning and you're not hungry, but the truth is this is one of my best secret weapons for regulating blood sugar, because what you do to your body in the morning influences. how your body responds all day long. Getting your blood sugar regulated with fuel as soon as you get out of bed is powerful. Number two, don't eat carbs alone if you eat them. And oh, by the way, you should. More on that in a moment. And don't eat protein alone. In this day and age of protein, protein, protein, so many people think that protein burns fat, protein builds muscle. And while that's true, that does not exist in a vacuum. Protein must be consumed with carbohydrates at all. the same time in order to regulate blood sugar and vice versa if you're not picking up what I'm putting down. Carbs are also important for blood sugar regulation and building muscle, but you don't want to eat them alone either. Pair them with protein at the same time that you're eating. And now if you are someone listens to my podcast on the regular, you're like, I know Holly, you've heard that a million times, but Every single week I get messages from women that are like, well, so I know you said to eat carbs and protein together, but can I eat protein alone? It goes both ways. Pair your protein and your carbohydrates every single time you stick something in your mouth. And if you do that, you are going to start regulating blood sugar even if those foods that you're eating aren't healthy. Even if those foods are not good for you, are sugar. And so I will give you a great and a terrible example. If I'm going to eat sugar, any kind of sugar, lately I am on a homemade caramel kick. Don't get me started. It's the best and the worst idea ever. I'm obsessed with caramel. I think it's my top number one flavor ever in the entire world. And I stumbled upon a recipe that's just absolutely delicious, and it's basically pure sugar. And so if I'm going to eat some caramel, I might even eat a meat jerky stick alongside of it. Doesn't sound very appetizing. I know that. But the protein balances the sugar. Now, I'm not telling you to go eat sugar and caramel and meat jerky sticks. I'm saying that if you're going to eat protein, you got to get some carbs with it. And if you're going to eat carbs, get some protein with it. And oh, by the way, alcohol is a super sugar. If you don't know, it's in a classification of its own. So if you are someone that enjoys a glass of wine or some alcohol at night, you've got to make sure you're pairing protein with your alcohol. I don't ever drink alcohol on an empty stomach. First, I get some pure protein or protein with a little bit of healthy fat, and then I have my glass of wine. Diatribe over, moving on Number 2 I adjust my clients' macronutrient distribution based on their biology, their body composition, their blood type, believe it or not, and their fitness stage. But all clients are between 40% and 50% of their daily calories coming from carbohydrates. And this is so important for blood sugar regulation. I'm convinced that one reason why so many women are having you Insulin sensitivity issues, blood sugar issues, and hormonal issues is because you're eating too few carbs and your body is trying to catch up and adjust through an alternate metabolism to make up for the
carbohydrates it actually needs. If your body needs carbs for a workout and you have not sufficiently eaten enough carbs in the day.Your body's going to make those carbs. Your brain has to have glucose. So where is your brain going to get the glucose if you're eating insufficient carbs? Number one, your muscles. It's going to mobilize stored glycogen so that it can be converted to glucose, which is a carbohydrate, for your brain. And so it's stealing from your muscles to create the carbohydrates that your body needs and worse. If it continues on, your body is actually going to break down muscle tissue to produce the glucose that your brain needs. And this is why one of the best ways you can address belly fat is by getting your blood sugar regulated and by giving your body sufficient carbs in general. This is why my clients see such a change in their belly fat when they start eating more carbohydrates. Because their body is better fueled and their machinery is better supported. Low carb doesn't work. Now, I'm not an advocate of eating poor quality carbohydrates, because if you're eating a lot of really processed, low fiber carbohydrates, that's a different topic here. But carbohydrates, your daily intake of less than 40%, really isn't. what your body is designed for. And so if you're eating less than 40% of your daily calories from carbohydrates, you're entering into biohacking. And if you're doing that, you're going to have to make sure that you're intentionally manipulating your protein and your fat so that you're following a very specific protocol. And oh, by the way, if I were to actually audit your diet over a 14-day period. You may say you're low carb. But if I look at your nutrition over the weekend, or I look at your alcohol intake, you'd be surprised to find out you think you're low carb and you're actually not. So let's get it right. Balanced macronutrients ensure that you get the right amount of all three macronutrients. There's only three macronutrients that Mother Earth created, three and only three, protein, carbs, and fat. All three are equally important for different reasons. And it's important to get them in a way that supports regulated blood sugar, but also gives your body the minimum effective dose and ideally the maximum effective dose of each so that you're getting the benefits from protein, the benefits from fats, and the benefits from carbs. And I know this is exactly why my clients get such incredible results with quick changes in their body fat is because they get... their protein and their carbs right. Here's what you can do, a way to start the first step. Use a diet tracking app and just get started logging what you normally eat each day. You don't have to obsess. You don't have to calorie count. You really don't. And so for that person who is resistant to tracking or even has a history of disordered eating, understandable. It is a Thin line here. I encourage you to use a diet tracking app to just observe. Just log what you normally eat. No judgment, no tinkering. Just put it into an app and at the end of the day, see where you land each day. Observe. Hmm, that's interesting. Today, I only had 35%. percent. of my calories coming from carbohydrates. You don't even have to pay attention to how many calories you ate. Just look at the percentage. I'm not a gram counter. So for those of you out there that have been taught to hit a certain number of grams of protein per day, a certain number of grams of carbohydrate, I personally don't think you need to go there. I don't think we need to get that myopic. I think that targeting a percentage, you've really got great wiggle room. Oh, by the way, it works great for my clients. So see where you land at the end of the day. Then adjust your preferred foods, your food items, and your serving sizes so that you take your carbs up or down, you take your fat up or down, you take your protein up or down, so that you land between 40% and 50% of your daily calories. coming from carbs. And oh, by the way, noticed I didn't even mention how many calories you should be eating. Whole other conversation. That is important. And that is another thing that I tackle with my clients. And the third factor that I think is super powerful in this conversation and why my clients get such great results is that I have very specific calculations for target heart rate ranges for cardio workouts. This is really important. A lot of people think that cardio is cardio is cardio and what your heart rate is doing indicates the substrates that your muscles will call upon to fuel your activity. Lower heart rates tend to call upon beta oxidation and fatty
acids to fuel activity. Higher heart rates tend to call upon carbohydrates. Almost always and exclusively when I look at VO2 max testing results for my clients, I see this all the time and we can really pinpoint exactly the heart rate ranges where you should be. for a certain type of workout so that your body is tapping into fat stores. You've heard this fat burning cardio, but a lot of people don't really get it right. When you get your heart rate range right for this type of cardio workout, it promotes beta oxidation and fat burning while also sparing carbohydrates so that they stay in your muscle and your liver. Higher heart rate workouts. demand more carbohydrate to fuel your muscles for the movement. Whatever you're doing, dancing, walking, ellipticaling, running, zumba-ing, it doesn't matter. Wherever your heart rate is, your muscles need to be fueled. And if your heart rate is higher, your muscles are going to call upon carbohydrates. This causes a cascade of events that can lead to an increase in belly fat if you don't do it right. And if you do do it right, it taps into belly fat. Now, inside of my coaching programs, I get, again, very detailed and specific about this. And there are nuances. But of course, I want to share some of those insights so that you can do it yourself. I use a more elaborate equation and way of calculating the target heart rate range for my clients. And here is the quick and dirty way that you can do it to get started. You'll want to determine what's called your age-predicted maximal heart rate. You can do some research on that. You can do some calculations. Then you'll want to multiply that number by 70% to get an idea of your heart rate range for workouts. In general, age-predicted maximal heart rate at 70% tends to, give or take, depending on the person, put them into this beta-oxidation for cardio workouts. And lastly, specifically, these are steady state, moderate intensity, cardio sessions, two to three per week. This is not just getting your steps in and not tracking your heart rate. This isn't just mindlessly watching a movie while you walk on the treadmill. It's being very strategic about where your heart rate is, how many per week, and keeping it steady, moderate. Steady state workouts each week. My clients are only doing between two and four. The average is three. And I know, without a doubt, that is one of the powerful levers that we pull on to change body composition, to burn body fat, and to really target visceral adipose tissue. Now, everything that I've shared has really specifically been through the lens of targeting belly fat. And if you read between the lines and listened closely, you'll know that that also means you're preserving lean muscle. So all of these factors also help you keep the muscle that you have so that when you lift weights and eat appropriately and build muscle, you're not losing muscle because of your other habits and programming factors. They go hand in hand. And so when you target belly fat correctly, you're also going to keep the muscle that you have and prepare your body and support your body in the muscle building process. And that, my friend, is what I believe is the belly fat fix for getting fat. loss, right? And yes, you too can do it at any age. I see it all the time. When I get it, you might be listening to this and thinking, ugh, this is too much mental chatter. This is too much calculation. This is too much strategy. This is too obsessive compulsive. I hear you. I do. And it doesn't have to be that way. Take one piece of information and apply it. And here's what I'll also say. If you are in a place where, I mean, heck, if you are still listening to this episode, you're clearly someone who wants to address your belly fat. You're clearly someone who isn't happy with where your belly fat is and you want a solution. So if you're also that person that's like, oh, Holly, this is just too much. Well, you got a conflict of interests and a bit of a conundrum. And so you've got to do something. And so take one piece of information and learn and try it out for a few weeks and then layer in a new piece of information. It is a journey improving your body. And getting the body that's truly resilient and life-proof is a process. And it's worth every bit of effort and mental bandwidth that you put in. And that is it for today. I hope you enjoyed this episode. Thank you so much for staying to the end and still listening. And stay tuned for another brand new episode on Tuesday of next week. Stay strong, my friend.