Asking for a Friend - Health, Fitness & Personal Growth Tips for Women in Midlife

Ep.155 Eat More, Weigh Less: The Midlife Metabolism Fix You’ve Been Missing

• Michele Henning Folan

Share episode

Still Cutting Calories After 40? Here’s What You Should Do Instead

This episode of Asking for a Friend is sponsored by Better Help. https://betterhelp.com/askingforafriend

Lisa Holtan, Faster Way coach and personal trainer with 17 years of experience, joins me this week to flip everything you thought you knew about midlife weight loss on its head. Spoiler alert: it’s not about eating less and doing more cardio.

Lisa shares why most women over 40 are drastically under-eating—especially protein—and how that’s wrecking their metabolism and holding them back from feeling strong, energized, and confident. We get into why strength training is non-negotiable (especially if your goal is independence later in life), how balance and mobility exercises can be done in your bathroom, and why your golf game might just depend on what you’re doing in the gym.

This episode is equal parts science, strategy, and sass—with plenty of real-life tips for eating out without guilt, staying consistent, and finally ditching the diet culture lies we’ve all been sold. Plus, Lisa shares the story of one client who lost 60 pounds with small, sustainable shifts over time—and how you can do the same.

Whether you’re a beginner, getting back on track, or ready to level up—this conversation will make you rethink everything and inspire you to take action.

💪 Hit play, and let’s build the strong, capable, joyful life you deserve.

You can find Lisa Holtan at https://www.instagram.com/lisaholtan/

The High Vibe Life Podcast can be found on any podcast platform

Lisa's favorite powered protein is made by Shaklee

Visit https://betterHelp.com/askingforafriend to get started with therapy today and receive 10% off your first month.

_________________________________________
Are you ready to reclaim your midlife body and health? I went through my own personal journey through menopause, the struggle with midsection weight gain, and feeling run-down. Faster Way, a transformative six-week group program, set me on the path to sustainable change. I'd love to work with you! Let me help you reach your health and fitness goals.
https://www.fasterwaycoach.com/?aid=MicheleFolan

Have questions about Faster Way? Please email me at:
mfolanfasterway@gmail.com

After trying countless products that overpromised and underdelivered, RIMAN skincare finally gave me real, visible results—restoring my glow, firmness, and confidence in my skin at 61. RIMAN Korea's #1 Skincare Line - https://michelefolan.riman.com

*Transcripts are done with AI and may not be perfectly accurate.

**This podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional healthcare services, including the giving of medical advice. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their healthcare professionals for any such conditions.

Michele Folan:

This episode of Asking for a Friend is sponsored by BetterHelp. We always talk about investing in our health, fitness, nutrition, skincare, but what about our mental well-being? Whether it's stress, anxiety, navigating a life transition or just feeling stuck, therapy can give you the support and clarity you need to move forward. It's a safe, judgment-free space to get honest with yourself and learn powerful tools for growth. You don't have to have a diagnosis to benefit from therapy. You just have to want to feel better. Betterhelp makes starting therapy easier. It's entirely online, designed to fit your schedule, and you'll be matched with a licensed therapist in as little as 48 hours. And if it's not the right fit, you can switch anytime. No awkwardness, no questions asked. Ready to take the next step for your mental health? Visit betterhelpcom. Forward slash asking for a friend to get started today and to get 10% off your first month Health, wellness, fitness and everything in between.

Michele Folan:

We're removing the taboo from what really matters in midlife. I'm your host, Michele Folan, and this is Asking for a Friend. Midlife changes everything how we gain weight, how we lose it and how we feel in our bodies. If you've been frustrated with stubborn belly fat aches and pains or feeling less stable on your feet stick around for my next guest. Today, I'm joined by Lisa Holton, a fellow Faster Way coach and personal trainer, who knows firsthand what it takes to build strength, mobility and balance in midlife.

Michele Folan:

We're diving into the biggest misconceptions about weight loss, why diet cultures failed us and how starving yourself only leads to more fat storage. Yep, you heard that right. Lisa also shares why mobility, flexibility and balance are just as important as strength training, especially if you want to stay active for years to come. Plus, if you're a golfer, you won't want to miss our expert tips on the best strength moves and stretches to improve your game. And, of course, we'll chat about her own health goals, what she wishes she knew in her 20s and the self-care habits she never skips. If you're ready to stop spinning your wheels and start seeing real results, this episode is packed with real talk and strategies you need to thrive in midlife. Lisa Holtan, welcome to Asking for a Friend.

Lisa Holtan:

Thanks for having me. I'm so excited to be here.

Michele Folan:

I'm already giggling because so here's the back story here. Lisa and I just we were roommates at the last Faster Way coach conference and just kind of found each other, kind of by accident, and we ended up having so much in common and we had a lot of fun together those three days. It was fun. Yeah, it really was. Lisa, before we jump in, please tell the audience a little bit more about you, like where you went to school, where you live and family stuff.

Lisa Holtan:

Yeah, so I'm in the Midwest. I currently live in Des Moines, Iowa. I have a background actually in business and I actually worked in the business world for I don't know about three years and then I just decided sitting in a cubicle was not for me and I went back to school for my first love of health and fitness and that's when I got into personal training and nutrition coaching, which I've been doing now for 17 years. I've kind of done it all. I've trained it all.

Lisa Holtan:

I used to work with high school athletes, worked with the football teams, basketball teams, I worked with small training facilities, kind of, like I said, have trained everyone in between. But my true passion the last 10 years really lies in helping women over the age of 40 figure out how to balance their hormones naturally so that they can lose weight and feel their best, because that's really what it's all about, not the scale, but how well you feel, so that you can live your best, healthiest and happiest life. So, yeah, we have one son, yeah, he's in college, and so I'm an empty nester trying to find new hobbies. If you guys have ideas, let me know.

Michele Folan:

Well, actually, my podcast on Monday is all about empty nesting, so you can tune in to that one. Her name's Allie Hill and she wrote a book and so, yeah, they're very good timing. That's perfect. So you also owned a gym at one time. Yes, I owned a gym for five years and then kind of what happened there. What was the transition point for going from owning the gym to doing Faster Way?

Lisa Holtan:

Yeah, so we owned a gym for five years and it was a 24-7 gym that had group training and group exercise classes so kind of more like I would say, a 24-hour fitness mixed with a YMCA kind of together. It was not a franchise, it was my own business. And COVID came and of course shut everyone down for six weeks when we were set to reopen, trying to work with a landlord, it just didn't work out with needing to reduce payments because we weren't having the clientele come back, and so ultimately we did sell the gym to her. So I sold the gym to the landlord of the building. I think she kept it around for like a year and then she did close it.

Lisa Holtan:

So I started Faster Way in that time and a lot of my clients from the gym came over to Faster Way then because I wanted something that couldn't get taken away from me, because I felt like my gym kind of got taken away from me and I had worked really hard to build that community. So Faster Way was kind of the perfect thing for me to slide into. It was virtual, I could still have my gym clients and it fits that niche of helping people with nutrition that personal training can't, because when you're a trainer, we know all about muscles and how the body works together, but we aren't trained that well on nutrition. So, like all, my continuing education has always been on nutrition. But I think Faster Way kind of helps solidify that with for my clients so that they can see how the nutrition fits into it, especially when they're, you know, strength training. A lot of my clients do like to work out, so making sure you're fueling your body with enough food to get those results you want.

Michele Folan:

Yeah, and I guess you know. The next question would be how did that transition work for you? Because you did all in-person training prior to that and now it's pretty much all virtual. How did you make that transition?

Lisa Holtan:

Yeah, well, covid made you make that transition. Yeah, but actually I actually started training people when Skype. I don't know if you guys remember when Skype came. I don't even know if Skype's still a thing I don't even know. I have no idea. Yeah, so when Skype first came out, I actually started an online training business at that point and I had a handful of clients and it was doing really well. I kind of let that business go when I opened up the brick and mortar gym. So when I did have to transition to online, it wasn't like it was totally brand new for me, but I hadn't been in the virtual space in a while, so it was a very quick having to learn as you go.

Michele Folan:

Yeah, we do that in everything we do. We just gotta learn as we go, learn as we go. Yeah, this technology stuff can be a killer some days. Yes, it can be. You like to work with women who are 40 plus, so we're talking perimenopause and menopause largely. If you could debunk one major fitness or nutrition myth for midlife women, what would it be?

Lisa Holtan:

Oh, the nutrition piece would be you need to eat more food than you currently are eating.

Michele Folan:

Yeah, yeah, almost 90, 95%. I mean there's some people that I get as a client who are maybe overeating or just overeating the wrong things.

Lisa Holtan:

The wrong things, yeah.

Michele Folan:

Right, but definitely under eating from a calorie perspective.

Lisa Holtan:

Yes, definitely under eating, especially protein. Most of my females come in way under eating protein. They think 800 calories is a good caloric intake to have, and that's not. Toddlers eat more than that. So I do think that learning how to eat for your body is the best thing that you can do.

Michele Folan:

And then do you think we're getting any traction with this whole message about women need to eat more? I mean diet culture. I mean think about this. Your clientsies and fifties, maybe even in their sixties, have been through. You know Billy Blanks and doing you know all that cardio. Do you remember Billy Blanks? Oh, yeah, I have Billy Blanks, vhss, okay, and P90X, and then we were drinking SlimFast and you know so. We've all been through that and, oh, taking Dexatrim, and so how do we change that mindset, that mentality?

Lisa Holtan:

Yeah, I think this one is hard and I don't think it's not changing and I think it'll take a long time to change, because it is the mentality that we've had for 30 years. Right Is to, you know, eat less food and just exercise more, or to try the latest fad diet. So I think the big part is when you can, first off, think of it as a lifelong journey. So stop thinking of your health as a start and a stopping point. You have to think of it as, like, this is a lifelong journey. What am I going to learn on this journey? And just know that it's never ending. So, even though you might have a weight loss goal or something you're working on and you might reach that, you still are going to have something else come up that you're going to want to work towards that goal then. So being like open-minded to the fact that this is a life long endeavor and there's not like a certain stopping point, I think can help open that mindset up.

Michele Folan:

You know, I want to talk a little bit about why eating too little can actually lead to more stored fat, because I think there's that you know misconception out there that eating less is you're going to burn fat when you work out, and that sort of thing. But talk to me a little bit about how you coach a client who is wanting to always like work out faster or eat less because they think that that's going to benefit them when they are doing, say, more cardio and lifting weights.

Lisa Holtan:

Yeah.

Lisa Holtan:

So you know it's hard because we've been taught and ingrained to eat less, um, like I said, for like 30 plus years.

Lisa Holtan:

So I think it's nice when you can see your macros and see how much food do I need to eat in order to fuel my workouts and fuel my body. I think the hard part is a lot of us say you need to eat more food, but what I think people hear is like, well, do I need to eat more chips? Or like what, what am I really needing to eat? And so I think, when you really can boil it down and learn what your macros are and macros are carbohydrates, fats and proteins how much do how much of all of those things does your body need in order to thrive not just survive, but thrive that's when I think you'll you notice, as a client, you notice all of those fat loss changes happening and you notice those strength gains happening. But if you're just listening to us and I'm saying you need to eat more food and you just go out and you're like, okay, well, she said I need to eat more food, I'll eat two bags of chips. That's not going to help you.

Michele Folan:

No, no, it's the quality, not the quantity. So you know it's and I was, I was explaining this to somebody the other day is that I can give you a 1500 calorie diet. That is, and I can just say, lisa, you can eat 1500,500 calories a day, but if I say here's a 1,500 calorie, macro, nutrition-focused diet, you will feel night and day difference from just eating willy-nilly. 1,500 calories per day, agreed. What do you think is one shift that women can make today that will have the biggest impact on their metabolism, just overall?

Lisa Holtan:

Oh, that is a juicy question we like it juicy. Oh, I would say if you're currently not lifting weights, start lifting weights, and if you are, increase the weight you're lifting. So lift heavy.

Michele Folan:

Yeah, okay, yeah, you know. Do you ever get a client that's scared to lift? They're afraid to hurt themselves.

Lisa Holtan:

I have worked with people, yes, who are afraid. Generally, I work with people who have lifted for many years, who already know how to lift. But, yes, I have worked with people before who are very beginner, very new to lifting, and I understand the fear of not wanting to hurt yourself, because we don't want anyone to hurt themselves. But you can always start with body weight, because your body does weigh something, and then, once you get comfortable with the movement pattern, you can add bands or you could add light weights and just work your way up.

Michele Folan:

Yeah, it's always so much fun when a client tells me that they went to TJ Maxx or Marshalls and they got more weights, they got heavier weights because I'm like, yes, that's awesome, that's it. So that's huge progress. And I tell everybody, look, you've got to start somewhere. So if that's five pound pink dumbbells, then that's where you start and that's okay, it can be your own body weight too.

Lisa Holtan:

Correct. I mean, my biggest thing is like let's stay out of the nursing home. So the number one reason why Americans go into the nursing home is because they can't get off the toilet unassisted, which means you either don't have the upper body strength to pull yourself off using bars or you don't have the leg strength to get yourself off the toilet without assisting with your hands, which is like super sad, I think. So, basically, you just need to learn how to do bodyweight squats and, like my 90 old grandpa went into assisted living the other day and he called me and he's like Lisa, I came to assisted living and I don't want to go to the nursing home part. So I'm going out and buying some two and three pound weights. I'm going to start lifting weights. I was like all right, grandpa, so like my grandpa can get it, you can get it, yeah exactly.

Michele Folan:

You know, a good friend of mine had her first grandchild and she was rocking the baby in the rocking chair and she had to get up. The baby was asleep and she didn't want to wake the baby. So she's thinking, okay, I'll just stand up. Well, she couldn't. She could not get out of the rocking chair, she had to grab onto the dresser. That was not close, but she had to grab onto the dresser holding the baby with one arm, and that was a wake-up call for her, you know. And so we don't have to be in a nursing home to worry about getting off the toilet. It's sometimes just getting out of the rocking chair with the grandbaby, you know. So it's never too early to start thinking about these things, for sure. And this kind of dovetails onto mobility and flexibility, because I know this is something. I have to say this. So when Lisa and I roomed together, she was always up in the morning stretching and doing all that stuff and I'm like I'm going to go down and get coffee.

Lisa Holtan:

I'm a crazy person.

Michele Folan:

Yeah, so she was stretching and doing all that in the morning in the room, which I was admirable. Yeah, I was admiring her for doing that. So let's talk about that, because we haven't really talked about this topic much on the podcast. But that mobility, flexibility and balance piece for midlife women, Can you talk a little bit about that and why that's such a mission for you?

Lisa Holtan:

Yeah. So balance, flexibility and mobility decreases the older we get, just like muscles do. So if you don't use it, you lose it. So, and balance, flexibility and mobility that all ties into again, are you going to have to go into the nursing home as you get older? Because the balance piece comes into play too, like trying to get up off the toilet or the rocking chair, holding onto a baby. It comes into play when maybe your grandkids want to, you know, go play pickleball or tennis or they want to swing on the swing set.

Lisa Holtan:

If you are not regularly practicing, challenging your balance, doing mobility work, doing flexibility work, that is when people fall down, that's when people get injured and that's when you get hurt. People fall down, that's when people get injured and that's when you get hurt. So I do recommend that everyone stretches for at least 10 minutes three times a week, and I like to do it before I go to bed at night, because then you can hold those static stretches for one to two minutes, which is what your body needs in order to get into the parasympathetic part of your body to calm down. And once we can calm down and relax that muscle, it also helps us to sleep better at night, ah yeah. So you're kind of like women love that. Filling two birds with one stone right there, yeah.

Michele Folan:

I love that. So give me an example of one of these mobility stretches that you like.

Lisa Holtan:

Yeah. So I have very tight hips and very tight hamstrings, so that's what I focus on stretching. So I like to sit on the floor, you know, and put my legs out straight on the floor and then lean over like you're trying to touch your toes, you know, like that's a great one, and just hold and breathe and take very nice deep breaths. The other one I like would be called pigeon or figure four, and that's a good stretch for the hips and the glutes. The other one a lot of people can do is put your legs up the wall. Not only does that help to stretch out your hamstrings, but it also helps with circulation and it helps to calm your body down. So that's a great one to do before bed as well.

Michele Folan:

Yeah, I like legs up. I think that is so nice. I do that with my red light mask on. Oh yeah, perfect. Oh, whatever it takes, Lisa, whatever it takes. So, in terms of the stretching though, so I like to stretch before I go to bed as well, but what about stretching before you work out? I know that can be kind of controversial. What are your thoughts about that? Yeah, so my thoughts. But what about stretching before you work out? I know that can be kind of controversial. What are your thoughts about that?

Lisa Holtan:

Yeah. So my thoughts about that is you should be doing dynamic stretching before you work out. So dynamic stretching is not holding a stretch, that's static stretching, which is what you would do at night or after a workout. Dynamic stretching is like moving through a stretch. So an example of that would be like knee hugs, like standing up straight and pulling one knee up to your chest, something like that. Or you know, you could do a hamstring stretch, but you're moving through the hamstring stretch and not just holding it in place, and I think those are great for a warmup. It gets your body and muscles ready to do the strength workout Okay.

Michele Folan:

So, lisa, we're going to take a quick break and when we come back, I want to talk a little bit about your training for golf and recreational fitness. If you've been sitting on the sidelines wondering if it's too late or if you're fit enough to start, this is your sign. The truth is, you don't need to be in shape to begin. You just need to be ready to show up for yourself. In my six-week midlife metabolism reset, I'll meet you exactly where you are, whether you haven't worked out in years or you're already active. We start by mastering the basics simple, sustainable nutrition, energizing movement and strategies that work with your body, not against it. Energizing movement and strategies that work with your body, not against it.

Michele Folan:

This is your chance to reclaim your energy, reset your metabolism and build a foundation for strength and vitality for the years ahead. But here's the thing you have to make the first move. Are you ready? Let's do this together. Head to the link in the show notes to join us now together. Head to the link in the show notes to join us now. Okay, we are back. So Lisa does these videos on Instagram where she is kind of showing how she would kind of prepare or stretch for golf and first of all, how much golf do you play?

Lisa Holtan:

So, honestly, I just learned how to play last summer, but I have a certification I'm actually a golf specialist as a personal trainer Um, and I've had that certification for years now and I've trained many golf golfers um over the years with that Um. But, honestly, I never knew how to play myself until just last year.

Michele Folan:

Oh, that's so funny and I bet you feel much better because now you know how to stretch. Because I'll tell you my first couple times out to the driving range I'm sore for a couple days, yes, For sure. So you help women prepare their bodies for golf. What are some of the key strength moves that make a difference? You think on the course.

Lisa Holtan:

Yeah.

Lisa Holtan:

So if you are going to play golf whether you're an avid golfer or you just like to go out every once in a while and play you do want to make sure you're including rotational movements in your strength training.

Lisa Holtan:

So anytime we're like rotating the spine like a Russian twist or a plank twist, we want to be incorporating things like that, because when you golf that's what you're doing is you're rotating through the spine. So we really want to make sure we have that mobility and the strength in our core to swing that club. And then the other thing you want to work on is your balance. So that's kind of the balance piece of it, because when you're swinging your club you are shifting weight, so you're shifting from one side of the hip to the other side of the hip, so you're changing that balance. And if you don't work on your balance in regular life, you will have a problem with your swing at golf. So a simple balance movement is even just standing on one leg as you brush your teeth or doing side lunges. Those are fantastic for balance and, you know, helping to work the hips and outer thighs as well.

Michele Folan:

Yeah, at night. I want people to know that, like, like I was working out this morning and I was doing some lunges and there were a couple of times I was kind of like wobbly or whatever. Don't ever let that stop you from continuing to work on that skill, because you can. You can increase your, your balance through doing some of these things. Like Lisa is saying. But yeah, it's, it's fine when you're in your basement there's no one around, but you know, just give yourself a break, because it's okay to stumble a little bit, but keep working on it, right?

Lisa Holtan:

Exactly, and there are days you know when, like if you're tired, your balance isn't going to be very good. If you didn't get good sleep, maybe if you're focused on something else, that is when you'll feel more wobbly. So just know that sometimes your balance will be better than other days, and each side of our body will be different as well, and that's okay.

Michele Folan:

I love the standing on one foot and brushing the teeth, because I think that's easy.

Lisa Holtan:

It's easy. You're already brushing your teeth. You can just stand on one foot for a little bit. The counter is there if you feel wobbly. You can hold on for a few minutes if you need to. But yeah, it's a great way to work ankle mobility as well.

Michele Folan:

You know the other thing that you know, when you're making dinner or you know you've got your counter there, the kitchen counter there, that's also not a bad time to maybe stretch a little bit. Or, you know, stand on one foot, Because I think there's, we miss some of those opportunities through our day to do little mini exercises. You know we talk about exercise snacks, right? You know that, because sitting, they say, is the new smoking, and just getting up and standing next to your desk and doing a couple squats or doing some stretches or something, just to get your body moving, yeah, we just want to get that blood flow moving.

Lisa Holtan:

So you know leg lifts while you're, you know making ground beef for supper, doing some calf raises, those are all great things to help get a little extra movement in your day.

Michele Folan:

Yeah, that's good. Could you share a client success story?

Lisa Holtan:

Yes, so this is a big weight loss success story and I want to share it because of the timeline, because I think a lot of people have weight loss goal and I don't think they realize the timeline on it. So I had a client, Christy. She's lost 60 pounds, so six zero pounds, which is amazing, and it took her two years to lose that weight. So I know a lot of people out there are probably thinking there's no way I'm going to spend two years to lose 60 pounds, or I could do it. You know a faster way which you might be able to do it a faster way but is it sustainable, right, and will that weight stay off? So, with Christy, she worked with me on the faster way.

Lisa Holtan:

Um, and actually she didn't do the workouts she is one of my only clients. That actually does not work out but she just strictly followed the nutrition, she hit her macros, she worked with me on some stress relief and she lost 60 pounds in two years by being consistent, and she still went on vacation. She has a stressful, you know, job. She works two jobs, actually pretty stressful jobs, but you know what? Just remaining consistent, doing the daily habits and doing the things that it takes in order to reach that goal is what she did, and she stuck with it, even when it was hard and even when there was times when she was like how much longer is this going to take? And I was like I don't know. We're in it for the long haul, let's find out. But if you just stick with it, you will reach your goal.

Michele Folan:

You know you just returned from a trip and I didn't tell you I was going to ask you this, but you just returned from a trip and you and I have been out to dinner together and I will say that one of the most asked questions I get is how do I stay on track? Or how do I go out to dinner with my friends, how do I go to France for two weeks? You know, those are all very real questions I get from my clients because they're they're all traveling and, you know, visiting friends and their kids in New York and whatever. So when you go on a trip, lisa, what, how? What's your strategy for dining? Go on a trip, Lisa, what's your strategy for dining?

Lisa Holtan:

So for dining, I don't limit myself. I do eat what I want to eat because I don't think when you're on vacation is the time to focus on your macros or try to like hit everything perfectly. I think it's a time to enjoy yourself and enjoy what you like to eat. But the trick is as soon as you get back home. That's when you get back into routine.

Michele Folan:

So your, your philosophy is like mine it's, it's, it's not. You're not starting over when you, when you come home, the one thing that I did I did have this conversation with a client this morning, cause she is getting ready to go to Sicily with her girlfriends.

Lisa Holtan:

And.

Michele Folan:

I said. I said, well, just play it forward. How do you want to feel in the afternoon? I said so. My suggestion to you is make sure that that first meal of the day you are getting plenty of protein. You know I I'd skip the croissants and the Danish and stuff at breakfast and the mimosas, just so you don't feel really poopy at one one in the afternoon. But it's it's really eat for how you want to feel. Yes, so if you, if you need to have energy to go on the hike or, you know, all day shopping or whatever I mean, fuel your body appropriately for that.

Lisa Holtan:

Exactly and and eat. Eat what you want You're, you know if you're in Sicily or I was on vacation. Eat the dessert if you want to and have no guilt about it, and just know that vacation's going to end and you're going to get back home and go back to routine.

Michele Folan:

And we always say it faster way, it's memories over macros. Exactly, if you could go back, lisa, and tell your 25-year-old self something about fitness and nutrition, what would it be? Eat more food.

Lisa Holtan:

I think it's the theme of the day. Yeah, I was always an avid exerciser, even in high school. I'd get up early with a friend. We'd go lift weights at this all-male gym I mean, it wasn't all-male, but it was mainly males there and looking back, I was working out, I was doing. You know, looking back, I just I was working out, I was doing such a good job, but I just was not eating enough food. You know, lunch of pizza and saltine crackers is not going to get you muscle when you're 16. So I wish I would have known just to eat more food, higher quality food, better food.

Michele Folan:

Yeah. Yeah, you and me both. Yeah, yeah, I think I ate enough food, maybe, but the quality was definitely not there. Quality was not there. I think the Kraft mac and cheese out of the blue box in college that my roommate and I would split a box yeah, I mean the ramen noodles and the frozen pizzas yeah. Yeah, that's why we went home for dinner on Sundays.

Lisa Holtan:

Yes exactly.

Michele Folan:

We needed some real food. Yes, lisa, what is one of your own personal health goals this year? Do you have something that you're working on?

Lisa Holtan:

Yeah, so I'm actually working on getting stronger. You know it is a change working out at a gym and then coming to your home to work out. So my goal is actually to put some muscle on and to get stronger, because muscle is longevity and I, you know, I've, I've told everyone and I have a podcast. I say this on my podcast is my goal is to be like the hundred year old lady living in Florida, teaching water, aerobics, drinking wine in one hand and eating brie cheese in the other hand. But in order to do that, I have to be healthy and strong now in order to live that long and to get to Florida and be able to enjoy that.

Michele Folan:

So, yeah, yeah. So I went to a psychic. I've talked about this before, but he told me he said I think you're going to live to be about 90 or 92. Well, you can live to be 90 or 92, but do you want to be walking around and spending time with your family, or do you want to be in the wheelchair in the nursing home? Well, I don't want to be in the wheelchair in the nursing home. So I, like you, am trying to make some changes now so that we can make that possible.

Lisa Holtan:

Right, Because it's what you do now that affects you know, 30 years from now.

Michele Folan:

Yeah, absolutely. Do you have a self-care non-negotiable that you do for yourself every day? Oh, that's a good one. That I do every day maybe not every day, but something that's a non-negotiable for you.

Lisa Holtan:

So I have a sauna and I sauna twice a week, and that is a non-negotiable for you. So I have a sauna and I sauna twice a week, and that is a non-negotiable.

Michele Folan:

Can you talk about the sauna a little bit? What do you find is the most beneficial for you?

Lisa Holtan:

Well, it makes me happy in the winter. I'll tell you that. I think for me personally it does help decrease muscle soreness. For me personally, and honestly, it really does help me like feel better, especially in the winter because, again, I live in the Midwest. Not a lot of sun, it's cold. I don't like that. I don't like snow or being cold winter. So it does make me feel better just overall being in the sauna. The sauna has other health benefits too and I know Stacey Sims. Dr Stacey talks a lot about sauna and the benefits to women and fat loss for that. But honestly, for myself I do more for muscle recovery, relaxation and just feel good.

Michele Folan:

Yeah yeah. I was joking with another podcast guest. I said there's a sauna at the gym right up the street where I live. I was thinking about just joining the gym. I like working out at home but I didn't have a sauna and I'm like I'm not going to buy a sauna for my house, but I could get into that. I like the sauna.

Lisa Holtan:

The sauna's fantastic.

Michele Folan:

Yeah, all right, I'm going to do a quick fire round here, just going to ask you some questions. What's your favorite protein powder? Shaklee, Shaklee, yep. Okay, we're going to put all these in the show notes. What's your favorite form of exercise? Strength training yeah, girl, after my own heart. What's your least favorite Hit?

Lisa Holtan:

or anything.

Michele Folan:

Yes, me too. And how many steps do you aim to get?

Lisa Holtan:

every day 10,000. 10,000.

Michele Folan:

Yeah, I tell clients, if you can get at least eight in 8,000, that's a great, great way to start. I agree, Lisa Holtan talk about your podcast.

Lisa Holtan:

Well, my podcast has had a couple of different iterations throughout the year years. I should say I've had it for four years now, and currently it is called the High Vibe Life Podcast. There's two episodes that release every week, one on Monday, one on Thursday. Monday is very short, it's just a Monday motivation episode to give you a swift kick in the pants to get your week going. And then, thursday, I usually dive deeper into whatever I talked about on Monday, or we have a guest on on Thursdays.

Michele Folan:

Perfect, and then can they find that on any of the podcast platforms? Yes, okay, all right, and then where would they find you on Instagram?

Lisa Holtan:

On Instagram. I'm just under my name Lisa Holton, h-o-l-t-a-n.

Michele Folan:

Everybody look her up, especially if you're a golfer, but she's got some great overall tips and tricks for fitness. Remember, Lisa is a certified personal trainer, so she is in the know. Lisa, thanks so much for being here today. Thank you for having me. It was fun. It was hey. Thanks for tuning in. Please rate and review the show where you listen to the podcast, and did you know that asking for a friend is available now to listen on Youtube? You can subscribe to the podcast there as well. Your support is appreciated and it helps others find the show. Thank you. Well, your support is appreciated and it helps others find the show. Thank you.