Women and Strength – Strong Bones Matter + A Starter Program (Part 2 of 3)

Part 2: Strong Bones, Strong Metabolism, Stronger You

Welcome to part two where we dive a little more into why strength training is so important for women’s health and I give you a starting place to add strength training to your week. Let’s pick up where we left off…

When we talk about women’s health, bone health often gets reduced to one word: osteoporosis. But bones are far more dynamic—and far more important—than most people realize.

Bones are often treated as structural scaffolding. They are not passive structures. Bones are active metabolic tissue that influence energy, hormones, and balance. Yep, hormones. As part of that influence, they communicate and have a relationship with muscle, fat, the pancreas, and the brain.

So, your bones don’t just hold you up. They have a far greater purpose than most of us realize. Unfortunately, as we age, especially women who lose estrogen, unless we are doing something about our bone health then they have a greater risk of weakening and not communicating as well with other parts of our body.

Thus, weak bones don’t just increase fracture risk — they affect our overall health.

Bones and Hormones

As stated above, bones are integral to the endocrine system by actively secreting and working to manage hormones. Let’s see how this works in a very high level overview so as not to get bogged down with details, just the basic facts.

Metabolism – Osteocalcin is a hormone released by bone-forming cells (osteoblasts), particularly in response to mechanical loading (strength training). Osteocalcin helps insulin sensitivity, enhances glucose uptake by the muscles, supports fat metabolism, enhances energy availability, and influences mitochondrial function.

In other words: your bones influence your metabolism.

Panceas communication – Bones communicate directly with the pancreas. Osteocalcin stimulates insulin secretion and in turn, insulin supports bone remodelling. Lower bone turnover can lead to bone weakness which can then lead to insulin resistance.

In other words: healthy bones reduce your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Fat communication – Fat produces a hormone called leptin that affects bone metabolism. Leptin is the hunger hormone that tells our body when we have enough energy and don’t need to eat. Changes in fat distribution as we age impacts the communication between leptin and the bones so that our energy is affected which then impacts metabolism.

In other words: again, your bones influence your metabolism.

Estrogen and bone loss – estrogen prevents bone breakdown (weakness/loss) and supports the osteoblasts in creating osteocalcin. So, when estrogen production slows and stops as we age, there is a significant impact on our bone density if we aren’t doing something to maintain it.

But: mechanical loading can partially replace the impact of bone loss from loss of estrogen.

Thyroid management – Bones store minerals such as calcium and phosphorous that help with the management of thyroid hormones. Healthy bones better manage these minerals and thus the thyroid. When these minerals aren’t managed properly, we end up with excess thyroid hormone which accelerates bone loss.  

In other words: keeping bones healthy better balances minerals to prevent further bone loss. A vicious circle.

Immune system support – Bone marrow is responsible for red and white blood cell production which affects our immune system and keeps our bodies resistant to viruses and disease. When our bones aren’t remodelling properly then blood cell production is affected.

In other words: Strong bones prevent us from getting sick.

Bones and stress – When we have chronic stress our body releases a stress hormone called cortisol (my book dives deeper into the impact this has on the whole body). Elevated levels of cortisol (unmanaged stress/poor coping skills) increases bone breakdown, suppresses bone formation, and impairs calcium balance.

In other words: chronic stress affects bone density.

Strength Training Protects Bone Density

Bone density responds to load not movement. Walking, yoga, cycling and swimming are great—but these activities are not enough to preserve bone as we age. Subjecting our bones to resistance and power matters.

Thus, strength training:

• Stimulates bone remodeling making them stronger
• Helps prevent bone loss
• Improves balance and coordination
• Reduces fall risk
• Keeps our hormone management healthy

Strong bones mean fewer fractures, faster recovery, better health, and greater independence.

Don’t Forget Power

There’s another age-related issue we don’t talk about enough: powerpenia—the loss of muscular power and fast-twitch muscle fibers.

Power matters because it helps you:

• Catch yourself if you trip
• React quickly to prevent falls
• Move confidently and efficiently

The good news? You don’t need long or extreme workouts. A few minutes of strength and power-based movements a few times per week can make a meaningful difference. My Cardio LIIT/HIIT class was designed for the aging population to maintain fast-twitch muscles fibers, so it covers the power part of our movement patterns.

Strong Muscles and Bones = Freedom

Do you ever look at someone older and think, “Wow, I hope I don’t end up like that?”. You can prevent that. Strong muscles and bones support healthy aging. By adding strength training 2-3 times per week, we can age more gracefully with less pain, enjoy better balance, fewer injuries, the fear of falling, and have greater confidence in our active daily living.

Strength training isn’t just about preventing problems—it’s about preserving freedom. And thriving as we age.

Key Muscle Groups to Prioritize

For longevity and independence, women should focus on:

• Glutes (your butt) – hip stability, power, back protection
• Quads & hamstrings (legs) – stairs, getting up/down, knee health
• Back (lats, upper back) – posture, shoulder health, carrying
• Core (deep stabilizers) – balance, force transfer, injury prevention
• Upper body pushing & pulling – daily tasks, bone density in arms

What can you do? Start strength training NOW. If you are already, then add load to your workouts this week (see below for how to progressively load).

Keep it Simple

You don’t need complexity — you need consistency and load. Here are example strength training and power programs that you can get started with. As a reminder, always consult your doctor if this is new to you.

Example: 20-Minute Full-Body Strength (2–3x/week)

Pick 4–5 movements that get you to:

• Squat or sit-to-stand
• Deadlift or hinge
• Push (push-ups, chest press)
• Pull (rows, bands, dumbbells)
• Carry or core stability

Examples of movements are:

• Squat while holding hand weights by your sides or one at your chest
• Squat and press weights overhead while standing
• Lunge holding hand weights by your sides or one at your chest
• Deadlift with a row (wide or upright row)
• Push ups (please do push ups!)
• Lying chest press
• One arm row with knee supported on chair
• Shoulder press or flyes
• Stand on one leg and do biceps curls
• Triceps extensions or kickbacks
• Dead bug holding hand weights
• Side plank or hover (add a leg lift or hold a hand weight)

Format:

• 2–3 sets each
• 6–10 reps
• Rest between sets
• Weight should feel challenging so that the last few reps are hard, but you still have good form

Example: Power + Strength (10–15 minutes)

• Sit-to-stand with speed (6 reps)
• Step-ups (6 each side)
• Medicine ball or dumbbell swings (10 reps)
• Loaded carry (30–60 seconds)
• Cardio LIIT/HIIT

Progression Matters

If you always lift the same weight, you’ll get the same results.

Progress by:

• Increasing load
• Slowing tempo
• Improving form
• Reducing rest slightly

It should feel a little uncomfortable — that’s how adaptation happens.

Rest Is Where Strength Is Built

We need to rest our muscles in between working them. Rest allows:

• Muscle repair
• Nervous system recovery
• Hormonal balance (time for all that communication to happen)
• Sustained energy

More is not better. Add time to rest between strength training sessions. That’s why 2-3 times per week is perfect. Consistency is key; not overdoing it.