Where does cardio fit?
I hope you all had a fantastic week! I finally got back to 4 days of strength and even fit in a HIT session… cardio is not my favorite.
It’s funny, because in the days of my youth (ha!) cardio was all I thought about. I believed that every minute spent sweating and panting equaled a few more calories I had “earned.” This went well with my other firm beliefs that there were “bad” foods and “good” foods, and that anything that was fat free was my friend. And in my 20s and 30s? It worked… Calories out really did balance out the calories in and while I didn’t get that ripped physique I wanted (but didn’t want to work for), I fit into my jeans.
Now? After a couple years of being an OrangeTheory addict, I’ve shifted to an almost entirely resistance / mobility / balance training workout. You’d think that since my eating didn’t change in terms of overall calories, I’d have gained weight — after all, I went from 5 days of high intensity cardio at OT each week to almost no cardio and 4 days of strength training for like 40 minutes a pop. But I didn’t gain weight. I didn’t lose any either, but my body did change. Noticeably. Firmer, tighter… I’m happy with it.
So that is what we’re talking about today. Cardio, that old girl. Is she still our best buddy and the sharpest tool in our arsenal? Maybe, but she’s wearing a whole different outfit now. (where the heck did that weird analogy come from? No clue.)
If you grew up with the idea that long, steady cardio was the key to fat loss, endurance, and heart health, you’re not alone — that’s the traditional formula many of us started with. But as we move through perimenopause and beyond, our physiology changes: how our bodies respond to exercise changes too. (Dr. Sims talks about this a TON - find a podcast link below where you can listen).
In midlife, estrogen declines and metabolic flexibility shifts. Steady-state aerobic work can still be healthy, but for many women it becomes less effective for fat loss and metabolic change — and it can add stress when done in excess.
That’s where HIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) and SIT (Sprint Interval Training) shine.
What are HIT and SIT?
HIT (High-Intensity Training): Short bursts of harder work (think 60–90% effort) followed by recovery. Great for improving cardiovascular fitness and metabolic health with less total time.
SIT (Sprint Interval Training): Even shorter bursts at near maximal effort with longer rest periods. Very time-efficient and potent for metabolic adaptations.
Some Science…
1. Time efficiency with metabolic impact
Studies have found that interval training protocols can reduce abdominal fat — including in postmenopausal women — more efficiently than traditional moderate-intensity continuous training. One randomized crossover trial showed greater reductions in abdominal fat with HIIT than steady moderate training in postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes.
2. Improves fat oxidation and body composition
Meta-analyses and research show that HIIT protocols are consistently effective at improving body composition and reducing total and abdominal fat in women, often equal to or better than steady-state work in less time.
3. Better insulin sensitivity and metabolic health
Interval modalities have been shown to improve insulin sensitivity — a key driver of metabolic health — sometimes more than continuous moderate training. (Note - this study focused on men, but the results are applicable to women).
4. Cardiovascular and fitness improvements
Interval training has been linked with increases in cardiorespiratory fitness (VO₂max) — a strong predictor of overall health — with less time commitment than longer aerobic sessions.
What does this mean to YOU? Which do you choose?
Both HIT (high-intensity training) and SIT (sprint interval training) are effective in midlife — but they stress the body very differently. Choosing the right one comes down to recovery capacity, stress load, and where you are hormonally.
Choose HIT if you:
✔ Feel generally tired or wired ✔ Are under high life or work stress ✔ Are new to intervals ✔ Have joint pain or injury history ✔ Struggle with sleep or recovery ✔ Want consistency you can repeat weekly
What HIT looks like:
Hard, but controlled efforts (70–85%)
Work intervals of 30–90 seconds
Shorter rest
You finish tired, not wrecked
HIT improves cardiovascular fitness and insulin sensitivity without overwhelming the nervous system. For many peri- and post-menopausal women, this is the best starting point.
Choose SIT if you:
✔ Are sleeping well ✔ Recover quickly between workouts ✔ Have lower overall life stress ✔ Are already strength training consistently ✔ Feel energized rather than depleted by intensity
What SIT looks like:
Very short, near-maximal efforts
10–20 seconds of work
Long, full recovery between sprints
Very low total volume
SIT sends a powerful metabolic signal with minimal time — but only works well when recovery capacity is high.
In midlife, recovery is the limiter, not effort.
How often?
For most women:
1–2 HIT sessions per week, OR
1 SIT session per week (not both, not daily)
More intensity doesn’t mean more results — it often means more stress.
The final piece - HOW to incorporate this!
Sample HIT Session:
Interval format:
40 seconds work
60 seconds easy movement or rest
4–5 rounds total
Choose 1–2 movements and alternate if desired.
Options (pick what feels good):
Stationary bike (increase resistance, not speed)
Incline treadmill walk
Seated row machine (moderate load, smooth tempo)
Sled push (light–moderate, short distance)
Intensity:
You’re breathing hard but still in control — about 7–8 out of10 effort.
Sample SIT Session:
Sprint format:
10–15 seconds hard effort
90–120 seconds full recovery
4–6 total sprints
Best options (joint-safe):
Stationary bike (preferred)
Rower (only if pain-free and well-skilled)
Uphill walk with powerful arm drive (short burst)
Intensity: This should feel like “very hard, very short.”
You should feel fully recovered before the next sprint.
For either format, you should warm up for 5-10 minutes and cool down for at least a few minutes.
* Last thing… this isn’t ALL the cardio we should do each week. But it is the FOCUSED cardio. I might do SIT one time a week, but I walk my dog 2-3x/week for 40-60 minutes. There is nothing wrong with regular movement!! But it doesn’t work for fitness the way HIT/SIT will.
I’ve been thinking lots about hydration!
Adequate hydration becomes especially important during and around menopause. Research shows that sufficient fluid intake supports cellular metabolism, temperature regulation, nutrient and oxygen transport, joint and bone health, digestion, detoxification, and the integrity of skin and mucous membranes. Hormonal shifts during menopause — particularly changes in estrogen and progesterone — directly affect cardiovascular function as well as fluid and electrolyte balance. These hormonal changes can also blunt thirst signals, meaning many women naturally drink less at a time when their bodies actually need more support. The authors note that individualized hydration needs are best estimated at approximately 0.5 ounces per pound per day of body weight per day, ideally spread evenly throughout the day rather than consumed all at once.
(Adapted from a 2024 review published in Nutrients, via the NIH/PMC database.)
So my question has been - are electrolytes really needed in place of plain water?
There is no short answer, but here’s what I’ve found:
For bouts of intense exercise or lots of sweat - added salt and a bit of glucose = better hydration.
For regular day to day - water is just fine
If you like a little flavor in your water, electrolytes help (so does a bit of lemon, cucumber, etc…) and if you want to give your cells a bit of help moving the water into the cells, a pinch of sea salt helps too.
TL;DR: We don’t need electrolytes in our water, but they don’t hurt!
This was all in my newsletter dated February 1, 2026. Subscribe on my home page!