Advertise on podcast: Self Care Simplified

Trying to fit exercise into our busy schedules can be challenging. But should we be considering the best time of day to workout? Listener Martha asks: “Hi, Megan. I'm wondering if there's a preferred time of day to workout. Should I be working out first thing in the morning? Is there a time of day I should avoid? Is there a certain time of day specifically to do cardio or lift weights? I'm trying to get stronger, maybe lose a few pounds, but really just want to be consistent.” In this shortie episode, I talk about workout timing - and what I recommend may be a hot take! But if you’re looking for a way to make your workouts consistent, then this advice may be exactly what you need! 💥Taking listener questions!!! Do you have a question about your self-care that you need help with? Just head to www.vigeofit.com/ask to submit your question, and I’ll answer it for you on an upcoming Friday episode. More Resources Ask Megan your burning question here Follow Megan on Instagram

When we start thinking about weight loss, what we’re really wanting is FAT LOSS. But so often our pursuit of fat loss is filled with frustration, confusion and defeat. How do I lose fat but maintain muscle mass? Why do the things I did in my 20s not work in my 40s, 50s and beyond? Why is the number on the scale just not moving? Meet my friend Philip Pape - he’s a nutrition coach and the host of the Wits & Weights podcast, one of the top 25 nutrition podcasts. Today we’re going to dig into the strategies that ACTUALLY work if sustainable fat loss is one of your goals. Tune in while we discuss: Body Composition - what it is and why it matters. The difference between “weight loss” and “fat loss”. The 3 big guiding principles for true, sustainable fat loss - and how to incorporate them into your life. While achieving fat loss can often feel like finding the Holy Grail, today’s episode will break it down into simple, attainable steps. More Resources & Links Subscribe to Philip Pape’s podcast Wits & Weights here! Check out my episode on Wits & Weights: Ep 149: 4 Surprising Ways to Lose That Midlife Belly Fat with Megan Dahlman The Jumpstart 30 Program for Beginners FREE 5-Day Core Tune Up - A free mini-course to dramatically improve your functional core strength, create better alignment, and relieve back and hip pain for good! Suffering from Back & Hip Pain? Check out the Back & Hip Fix 30-day program here! Ask Megan your burning question here Follow Megan on Instagram Follow Megan on YouTube

You’ve heard me rave about the short-term and long-term benefits of strength training. And maybe I’ve convinced you that this is the direction to go with your fitness. But what do you do if the desire to strength train runs into underlying bone health issues? Listener Lex has this very question: “I am a 50-year-old woman who has never strength trained - so I'd be starting from scratch. And I've considered using your program, but you know what stops me? I have osteopenia. And I don't know if I would need to modify the program or how I would go about in a way to address the osteopenia. I don't want to hurt myself any further - I want to get on a fast track to improving it. What are your thoughts?” Lex, I promise you’re not the only one with this concern! In this quick episode, I talk about Osteoporosis and Osteopenia and the differences between them, and then I give you advice on the things you should be doing, and the things to avoid to help not only address, but improve your Osteopenia. 💥Taking listener questions!!! Do you have a question about your self-care that you need help with? Just head to www.vigeofit.com/ask to submit your question, and I’ll answer it for you on an upcoming Friday episode. More Resources 268. Increase Bone Density and Prevent (and Reverse!) Osteoporosis Read this great article on Osteopenia The Jumpstart 30 Program for Beginners Ask Megan your burning question here Follow Megan on Instagram Follow Megan on YouTube

Do you feel like with each passing year your body is beginning to fall apart and become less mobile? Movements feel stiff and actions that used to be effortless are now uncomfortable? I’m often asked, “What can I do to maintain and improve my mobility as I age?” I think the underlying question is, “What can I do to not feel like I’m moving like an old person!” And the answer is: MOBILITY. And more specifically, JOINT MOBILITY - which is essentially the ability for your joints to move around the way you want them to. Tune in this week as we discuss: The dangers of limited joint mobility Four key components of a healthy joint Mobility vs. Flexibility And finally, the 3 KEY ways to keep your joints healthy, mobile and pain-free! More Resources & Links Are your hips tight? Grab Megan’s free Hip Flexor Stretching Masterclass here! Need help with a fully body functional strength training program? Click here for Megan’s Jumpstart 30 program for beginners! Need help getting the ball rolling with some simple tips? Get Megan’s FREE 5-Day Jumpstart Tips guide! Follow Megan on YouTube Follow Megan on Instagram

Ask any woman over 40, and they’ll know exactly what you’re talking about. You wake up in the middle of the night feeling like you just dunked yourself in a pool - literally dripping with sweat. But you’re not necessarily hot, you’re actually clammy and can’t get warm. What the heck is going on here?! Listener Dawn asks: “Night sweats. Good Lord, woman. I know there are many women that suffer from night sweats. Mine is partially because of the full hysterectomy and the chemo from cancer. But even past treatment and in remission, I now have night sweats tremendously. So that's my question. What can I do?!” In this shortie episode, I dive into Vasomotor Symptoms - you know them as night sweats, hot flashes, heart palpitations, and even changes in blood pressure. I’m sure it’s no surprise that fluctuating hormones are the culprit - but what exactly is happening in our bodies and want can we do to help manage it? 💥Taking listener questions!!! Do you have a question about your self-care that you need help with? Just head to www.vigeofit.com/ask to submit your question, and I’ll answer it for you on an upcoming Friday episode. More Resources Article in Healthline: What Are the Vasomotor Symptoms of Menopause? [Research Review: Understanding the pathophysiology of vasomotor symptoms (hot flushes and night sweats) that occur in perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause life stages](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18074100/#:~:text=Vasomotor symptoms (VMS)%2C commonly,to changes in gonadal hormones.) Need help getting started! Get Megan’s FREE 5-Day Jumpstart Tips guide! The Jumpstart 30 Program for Beginners Ask Megan your burning question here Follow Megan on Instagram Follow Megan on YouTube

So often we measure our success by decrease - Is the number on the scale going down? Are my clothing sizes getting smaller? But what would it look like to shift our focus to increase? How much weight could I lift? How strong could I get? Meet Alyssa Ages, who asked herself this very question. She wanted to know how physically strong she could become. And that question led her on a journey of building real strength, becoming a Strongman Competitor, and, at the age of 40, pulling a semi truck. Alyssa documents her journey to uncover the true meaning of strength in her book Secrets of Giants. This week we sit down and talk about body image, many women’s ongoing fear of “getting bulky”, muscle and bone health with aging, and the confidence that comes with being someone that’s really, really strong. Get ready for a truly inspirational and empowering conversation that just might change the way you measure success. More Resources & Links Grab Alyssa’s book Secrets of Giants: A Journey to Uncover the True Meaning of Strength Read to get started with a beginner-friendly routine? Check out the Jumpstart 30 program here! Not ready to commit? Sign up for Megan’s FREE 5-Day Jumpstart Tips Guide here! Ask Megan your burning question here Follow Megan on Instagram Follow Megan on YouTube

We’ve all been there - you get to mid-afternoon or the end of the day and you find yourself STARVING! And suddenly you want to snack on anything you can find. Listener Jennifer has been there, too: “I was wondering what strategies you suggest for when I get ravenously hungry, especially in the evenings. When my stomach is absolutely growling I have a really hard time not eating just anything in sight.” In this shortie episode, I help decode what those intense feelings of hunger mean, and help you discover WHY you’re so hungry. Then we’ll talk about adjustments you can make to help prevent that late evening hunger. 💥Taking listener questions!!! Do you have a question about your self-care that you need help with? Just head to www.vigeofit.com/ask to submit your question, and I’ll answer it for you on an upcoming Friday episode. More Resources Need help getting started! Get Megan’s FREE 5-Day Jumpstart Tips guide! FREE! - Download my free report on the Three Eating Dangers to Avoid to Reset Your Eating Habits Ask Megan your burning question here Follow Megan on Instagram

It’s no surprise that as we get older our bodies start to change. Maybe the most obvious changes can happen around your midsection. It can feel like you wake up one day and suddenly your clothes don’t fit quite the same way. And all the ways you’ve tackled weight gain in the past aren’t working. While those changes to your midsection can be frustrating, they can also be dangerous. In this week’s episode we are going to talk all things belly fat. Visceral fat vs. subcutaneous fat - what’s the difference and why does it matter? Why are women in midlife more susceptible to midsection weight gain? Your Belly Fat Action Plan - all the tools you need to combat midlife belly fat! If you’re in your 40s and beyond and wrestling with midsection weight gain, you’re not going to want to miss this episode! More Resources & Links Need help getting started with a thorough routine that checks all the boxes? Click here for Megan’s Jumpstart 30 Program for Beginners Back or hip pain standing in your way? Click here for Megan’s 30-day Back & Hip Fix program. Episode 280. How To Combat Menopause Weight Gain and Belly Fat Episode 258. Unlocking the Secret to Better Sleep https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(17)30602-X/fulltext https://www.jadeteta.com/blog/female-belly-fat-stress-menopause-other-causes Follow Megan on Instagram

After listening to all my episodes touting the benefits of strength training, you’ve added weights to your exercise routine. Maybe you’ve been lifting the same weights for weeks now, and are starting to realize that those lunges and chest presses don’t feel quite as challenging as they did when you started. But how do you really know when to grab some heavier weights? Listener Kristi had this very question: “Hi Megan, I've been working out for a little while now using weights and I'm wondering how to know when it's time to increase the weight - and how much I should increase the weight by when I do move up? Also, do you have any recommendations for the best kind of weights to buy if I'm planning to do this long term?” In this shortie episode, I break down the best way to know both WHEN and HOW to level up your weights. And I’ve got some recommendations for the best weights to look for and which ones to avoid. 💥Taking listener questions!!! Do you have a question about your self-care that you need help with? Just head to www.vigeofit.com/ask to submit your question, and I’ll answer it for you on an upcoming Friday episode. More Resources Dumbells I Use And Recommend Need help getting started! Get Megan’s FREE 5-Day Jumpstart Tips guide! Ask Megan your burning question here Follow Megan on Instagram

Sometimes, despite all our knowledge, coaching and best efforts, we still find ourselves sidelined with injuries or pain. And suddenly our well-crafted plans and best intentions are out the window as we wrestle with this new reality. That’s where today’s guest, Brad Williams, found himself. Brad is a long-time personal trainer with more than 14 years of experience who specializes in training the over-40 crowd. Yet, Brad found himself with back issues that led to two separate back surgeries. Brad and I sat down to talk about his experience with injury, surgery and recovery and how his training has changed. We dive into: What led to his multiple back surgeries and what he might have done differently What he learned about his body during the recovery process Quality of movement vs. quantity of movement The importance of improving quality of movement - especially for people over 40. If you’re facing pain or recovery, or want to know how to shift your focus from quantity to quality, this episode is just what you need. More Resources & Links Connect with Brad and his Over 40 Fitness Hacks Podcast Here! FREE 5-Day Core Tune Up - A free mini-course to dramatically improve your functional core strength, create better alignment, and relieve back and hip pain for good! Back & Hip Fix - Megan’s revolutionary 30-day program to eliminate back and hip pain at its source! Follow Megan on Instagram Subscribe to Megan’s YouTube channel

“Hi Megan, my name's Terry. I'm 60 years old and I'm trying to get fit. Mostly strength. Where do I even begin?” The process sounds so daunting - wanting to get started with a new health and fitness focus, but having no clue how to do it. The reality is, many women in their 50’s, 60’s or 70’s feel like it’s too late to get fit and build strength. But I’m here to tell you it’s NOT too late. To Terry and every woman wanting to dive into something new, I applaud your courage! And I’m here to help. In this shortie episode, I outline the first three SIMPLE steps of starting a new fitness routine - one of them doesn’t even require getting off the couch! I promise, it’s never too late to start - as long as you start slow and trust the process. 💥Taking listener questions!!! Do you have a question about your self-care that you need help with? Just head to www.vigeofit.com/ask to submit your question, and I’ll answer it for you on an upcoming Friday episode. More Resources Listen to Episode 312: Strength Training for Women over 40 - How to Get Started Read to get started with a beginner-friendly routine? Check out the Jumpstart 30 program here! Not ready to commit? Sign up for Megan’s FREE 5-Day Jumpstart Tips Guide here! Ask Megan your burning question here Follow Megan on Instagram Follow Megan on YouTube

It’s January and everyone is embarking on a new health and fitness routine. Motivation levels are the highest they’ll be all year, and everywhere you look - on TV, social media, or magazines - people are making dramatic fitness goals and lifestyle changes. Unfortunately, at the same time, I’m witnessing a lot of mistakes being made with these new routines. Mistakes that can easily lead to frustration, burnout and even injury. In this episode, we’re talking about the THREE most common mistakes that can sabotage your efforts and prevent you from getting the results you ultimately want. And then in each case, I’ll show you how a slight adjustment can take these potential pitfalls and turn them into spring boards to help you stick with those new year’s resolutions. More Resources & Links Need help getting started for free? Get Megan’s FREE 5-Day Jumpstart Tips guide! Ready to take the plunge & work with Megan? Check out her signature Jumpstart 30 course for beginners! Suffering from Back & Hip Pain? Check out the Back & Hip Fix 30-day program here! Follow Megan on Instagram Follow Megan on YouTube Be sure to leave a rating & review - let us know how this show has helped YOU!