Category: Podcast (Page 3 of 21)

Global Marathon Runner in her 70's Mary Newell be

Global Marathon Runner in her 70’s with Mary Newell

April 22, 2025 / Chris Brown / 2 Comments

#177 – Global Marathon Runner in her 70’s with Mary Newell

In episode 177, Jill and Chris talk with Mary Newell, an inspiration!

Mary Newell is a 74 year old runner who started running at 55 and never stopped. She is a mostly retired clinical psychologist. Her two passions are running and travel. She combines them as much as possible.

We were introduced to Mary by Wendy Battles, the host of the Reinvention Rebels podcast. (You may have heard Wendy on this podcast in episode 144.) Mary’s story is inspiring and we really wanted to talk with her on the Fit Strong Women Over 50 podcast.

We discussed:

Getting started
How she trains
Why she loves running
How she avoids injury
Her two passions of running and travel
Her most difficult race (The Great Wall Marathon in China)
Cross training

Links mentioned in Global Marathon Runner in her 70’s episode:

Reinvention Rebels: Reinventing at 55, Thriving in Her 70s: Mary Newell’s Running Journey

Partner Podcast

If you like listening to our podcast, then you might enjoy the Late Bloomer Living Podcast, hosted by Yvonne Marchese.

Every Wednesday she brings you inspiring stories of reinvention from people over 40 and expert advice on navigating the challenges of aging to help you embrace your next chapter with playfulness, courage, and curiosity. Whether you’re launching a new career, embracing an empty nest, or simply looking for more joy and fulfillment, this show will empower you to take bold steps toward the life you truly want.

Intermittent Fasting for Health with Laurie Lewis

April 8, 2025 / Chris Brown / 0 Comments

#176 – Intermittent Fasting for Health with Laurie Lewis

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In episode 176, Chris and Jill speak with Laurie Lewis, an Intermittent Fasting and Wellness Coach. With intermittent fasting as the foundation, Laurie teaches how to break free from the punishment-diet paradigm we live in. She shows how to tune into our body’s inner compass, have a daily eating window, and experience improvements in every aspect of our lives.

Laurie has Health Coach Certification from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Her company is called Fast Forward Intermittent Fasting and she offers customized coaching services.

We discuss:

Why dieting doesn’t work
Why she feels so strongly that intermittent fasting for health is important
How many hours of fasting vs eating window to start and how to make changes
Clean eating and how that is important
Why flavored teas or flavored waters do not count toward fasting hours
How to use intermittent fasting as a way to maintain a weight loss
The importance of protein during peri and menopause
Why strength training is important

Links:

Website: https://fastforwardwellness.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FastForwardWellness

If you enjoyed listening to our podcast you may also enjoy listening to podcasts from our podcasting partners:

Aging With Purpose and Passion
Women Over 70™ – Aging Reimagined podcast
Boomer Banter – Real Talk about Aging Well
Late Bloomer Living
Reinvention Rebels
Older Women and Friends

Other posts and episodes from Becoming Elli on Time Restricted eating:

Intermittent Fasting for Women Over 60
Intermittent Fasting Insider Ellen Britt
Intermittent Fasting Lifestyle with Gin Stephens

Better Choices for Better Healthspan with Sally Duplantier

March 25, 2025 / Chris Brown / 1 Comment

#175 Better Choices for Better Healthspan with Sally Duplantier

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Sally Duplantier is a gerontologist, health educator and researcher. She founded her current company, Zing, with a mission to help older adults live their best lives longer through better lifestyle choices and health equity. She is passionate about increasing Healthspan—the number of years we are free of chronic disease and disability.

Sally returned to school in her 60s. She received an MS in gerontology from the University of Southern California and a graduate certificate in Qualitative Research from Indiana University. She was recently accepted into a doctoral program at the Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health.

Sally is a regular guest speaker for organizations like Stanford University and the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. Her research has been published in peer-reviewed journals such as Nutrients and The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

We discussed:

What is healthspan and why is it important. Not just living long, but living well.
Four key choices for a better healthspan: 1) get 150 minutes of movement a week 2) get regular 7-8 hours of sleep 3) handle stress 4) social engagement
Avoid sugar, alcohol, saturated fats, processed food, fried foods, red meat, boxed foods
Two types of intelligence 1) crystalized (knowledge) and 2) fluid (problem solving/decision making)
80% is lifestyle factors
Experts used to say one drink of alcohol a day is okay for women but that has been revised. CDC and WHO now link it to causing some diseases (certain cancers, brain health and heart disease.) “Rethink that Drink”
Nutrition for brain health is called the MIND diet. It lists 10 things to eat and what to avoid.
Too much chronic stress leads to higher levels of cortisol which increases blood sugar, insulin resistance and messes up the sleep cycle
She recommends using breath work, one minute of relaxing, going for a short walk, mindful eating and taking “Joy Breaks”
Having a purpose in life has a very positive correlation to good health
Community is extremely important, we are social creatures. Pets help with social interaction
Work on building cognitive reserve with education, reading, experiences. Building neural networks and plasticity.
Doing something over 14 weeks actually changes your brain.
Improvement by eating real food, getting good sleep, moving more than 30 minutes a day and incorporating something challenging.

Links:

Wellness Wednesday, 11 am pacific time – recorded. Free.
Zing website: MyZingLife.com
My Zing Life Linktree

Our podcast continues to be among the top podcasts for women over 50, especially in the health and fitness categories. See our ranking in the top 2% of all podcasts here.

Podcast Partner Spotlight for March 2025:

If you enjoy what we talk about on the Fit Strong Women Over 50 podcast, you may also like Aging With Purpose and Passion.

Are you ready to embrace your next chapter? Aging with Purpose and Passion is a weekly podcast that empowers women over 50 to take on life’s biggest challenges with boldness and resilience, through courageous, transformative stories. Hosted by Psychotherapist and Coach Beverley Glazer, this show dives into topics like loss, abuse, relationships, career transitions, health, and more—offering real insights and practical tools to help you redefine aging, reignite your passion, and embrace your true value with pride. No topic is off-limits. Tune in to start creating the joyful life you deserve to achieve!

Listen here: https://www.agingwithpurposeandpassion.com or on your favorite podcast platform.

Training Her Way to Health with Jill Johnson

March 11, 2025 / Chris Brown / 0 Comments

#174 -Training Her Way to Health with Jill Johnson

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When we saw what Jill Johnson posted on social media at the beginning of this year, we knew we wanted to talk with her!

Three years ago, she was not walking -fast forward to the end of 2024 when she was able to pull a sled with 4 plates equaling 245 pounds for nearly 50 feet across the gym floor!

The video she posted is inspirational too!

She attributes her success to surrounding herself with the right people: a strongman competitor who saw her potential and a coach who knew how to unlock it.

She obviously knows about overcoming challenges, getting strong and being motivated.

We discussed:

What she did to lose 35 pounds and bring her blood pressure back to normal
How hiring a training coach made all the difference
Retraining her right quad from not firing and dealing with “glute amnesia”
Knowing from her job working with aging services that the less muscle mass you have as you age, the more care you will need
How bicycling and high interval training helped boost her energy level.
Developing micro goals and prioritizing her longevity, moving past being judged
Her team of people that broke down the mechanics of a skill to demystify the process
Walking in nature on mulch as opposed to concrete or asphalt to help her joints
How progressions, practice and presentation (how she showed up for the world)
The food choice changes she made and how it has helped her
Sheet pan – roasted balsamic chicken. Taco with zucchini.
Premaking and prepping as many meals as possible and having portable food (ex. hard boiled eggs)

Links:

Facebook Jill Johnson USA

Linked In Jill Johnson USA

Instagram JillJohnsonUSA

Downshiftology food inspiration website

Our podcast continues to be among the top podcasts for women over 50, especially in the health and fitness categories. See our ranking in the top 2% of all podcasts here.

Podcast Partner Spotlight for March 2025:

If you enjoy what we talk about on the Fit Strong Women Over 50 podcast, you may also like Aging With Purpose and Passion.

Listen here: https://www.agingwithpurposeandpassion.com or on your favorite podcast platform.

Party and Diet with Kerstin Schulze

February 25, 2025 / Chris Brown / 0 Comments

#173 Party and Diet with Kerstin Schulze

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In episode #173, Jill and Chris talk with Kerstin Schulze, a powerhouse in both entertainment and wellness.

Originally from Germany, Kerstin’s journey began with a silver medal at the Junior Olympics in Berlin. From there, she pursued her love for performance with formal theater training and a business degree before making her way to Los Angeles.

Kerstin’s acting career is extensive. She’s worked with many well-known actors and directors. To check out her acting life, click the link to find her IMDb page.

She founded Party and Diet 24 years ago. It’s an innovative fitness company that specializes in providing tailored nutritional and exercise programs, now designed specifically for individuals aged 40-75.

We discuss:

The challenges of maintaining vitality, strength, and balance during perimenopause and menopause
Why her website is named Party and Diet
Her suggestions for different types of exercises for women over 50 who are just starting out
Work out with weights two days a week, one day heavy and the other day lighter weights with higher volume
Cross training with yoga, group walks, balance, flexibility, stretching on days you don’t lift weights
The biggest mistake when people start an exercise routine is too far, too fast, too long.
Consistency everyday rather than too much once a week
Recommendations for seated squat, table push ups, using a band and the importance of protecting your back
What is meant by vacuuming your abs
The value of hanging from a monkey bar
Diet: the power of plants, getting enough protein,

Links:

Her Website: PartyandDiet.com
Instagram @PartyandDiet
Arbonne plant based proteins
Video with Exercise Fundamentals focusing on good form for squats, lunges, pushups, vacuum abs
Her IMDb page with video clips and photos

Our podcast continues to be among the top podcasts for women over 50, especially in the health and fitness categories. See our ranking in the top 2% of all podcasts here.

Podcast Partner Spotlight for February 2025:

If you enjoy what we talk about on the Fit Strong Women Over 50 podcast, you may want to checkout the Women Over 70™ – Aging Reimagined podcast.

Women Over 70™ – Aging Reimagined, is dedicated to shining the spotlight on women living vibrantly and to shattering the myth that women become irrelevant as they age. Listen to the powerful stories of women aging. Their stories celebrate women’s enduring courage, compassion and contribution. Listen to this podcast at the Women Over 70 website.

Quick Go-To Dinners with Becoming Elli

February 11, 2025 / Chris Brown / 0 Comments

#172 Quick Go-To Dinners with Becoming Elli

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In episode #172 Jill and Chris explore quick go-to dinners that are easy to make and healthy for those nights that you are rushed and tempted to make less healthy choices.

We feature quick go-to dinners from these individual episodes:

Amanda Nighbert – episode #96 Living Energized and Nourished with Amanda Nighbert
Carol Simpson – episode #109 Rock Climbing and Yoga with Carol Simpson
Jone Carpenter – episode #104 Find Your Tribe with Jone Carpenter
Joyce Guenther – episode #107 Bicycling all 50 States with Joyce Guenther
Katie Orlando – episode #114 Sharing Love of Tennis with Katie Orlando
Kristin Kirkpatrick – episode #82 Nutrition for Women over 50 with Kristin Kirkpatrick
Lisa Bartlett – episode #86 Fit After Fifty Forever with Lisa Bartlett
Pat Bissell – episode #168 Find Your Passion and Stay Healthy with Pat Bissell

Don’t miss the challenge of our February 2025 Bingo Card!

Our podcast continues to be among the top podcasts for women over 50, especially in the health and fitness categories. See our ranking in the top 2% of all podcasts here.

Podcast Partner Spotlight for February 2025:

If you enjoy what we talk about on the Fit Strong Women Over 50 podcast, you may want to checkout the Women Over 70™ – Aging Reimagined podcast.

Losing 100 Pounds and Finding Health with Karen Clark-Snitchler

January 27, 2025 / Chris Brown / 4 Comments

#171 – Losing 100 Pounds and Finding Health

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We met Karen when she joined our Becoming Elli private facebook group. She has such a compelling story, we asked her to be a guest on our podcast.

Karen Clark-Snitchler is a Music Director and Conductor. She has an impressive list of plays and musicals that she has music directed. By day, Karen is a music teacher. She also started a “Girls on the Run” club at her elementary school.

Karen has lost over 100 pounds and became an athlete. She runs and strength trains.

In 2020, Karen’s husband died suddenly of a heart attack. Not wanting to make their two daughters orphans, she decided to make a lot of health changes. She started at 276 pounds and over a couple of years, lost 100 pounds on WW and also took up running.

Karen set a goal in 2022 to run in ten 5Ks before starting a new job in a new school district in September. She met her goal in August of 2022, made Lifetime at WW again – has done that 3x, dated a bunch and met her now husband in May of 2022. They married in May of 2023.

We discussed:

How and why she lost 100 pounds
Gut microbiome health and probiotics
Eating 30 different plants a week, including nuts, herbs, seeds
Getting a blood test through Dr. Mark Hyman’s Functional Health
C-Reactive Protein measuring inflammation levels
Making fermented foods like sauerkraut, yogurt and kefir. Her homemade fermented sauerkraut recipe is here.
Girls on the Run and SEL social emotional learning
Start running by using intervals
Her advice – make little changes. Do it for 3 days. Drink your water. Get off processed foods. Get good sleep.
How being a member of the Becoming Elli Facebook Group has helped her

Links mentioned in this podcast:

Dr. Mark Hyman’s Function Health which provides 100+ lab tests—comprehensive across heart, thyroid, hormones, metabolic, toxins, nutrients, autoimmunity for $500 a year
Fermented Sauerkraut recipe
Zoe Science and Nutrition Podcast
Becoming Elli Private Facebook Group

Our podcast continues to be among the top podcasts for women over 50, especially in the health and fitness categories. See our ranking in the top 2% of all podcasts here.

There’s still time to challenge yourself to the Becoming Elli 2025 January Bingo!

Podcast Partner Spotlight for January 2025:

Listen to her podcast at the Boomer Banter Website at heyboomer.biz. You may remember Wendy from “New Goals and Dreams with Wendy Green”, episode 139 of Fit Strong Women over 50.

Intro to Strength Training with Suzanne Fowler

January 14, 2025 / Chris Brown / 2 Comments

#170 – Intro to Strength Training with Suzanne Fowler

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Suzanne Fowler is a regular listener to the Fit Strong Women Over 50 podcast and a member of the Becoming Elli Community. She watched her parents’ health decline and decided to prepare for the aging process. Chris and Jill spoke with Suzanne about how she recently re-invented herself and now lives in an active and engaging environment.

In this episode we talk about getting started with strength training and progressing to the next level.

Suzanne Fowler is a seasoned professional with over 20 years of healthcare and fitness industry expertise. Holding a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training from Ball State University and a Master of Science in Management from Indiana Wesleyan University, she combines a strong academic foundation with practical experience to promote health and wellness.

As a former fitness center owner and certified Personal Training, Corrective Exercise, Nutrition, and Wellness Coaching through the National Academy of Sports Medicine, Suzanne is dedicated to helping individuals lead active, healthy lives, particularly as they age. Her holistic approach focuses on personalized solutions that empower clients to achieve lasting vitality and well-being.

We discussed:

Moving into a 55 + community and starting a program for other residents
Listening to our podcast and successfully adapting what she learned from episode with Gin Stephens and the intermittent fasting lifestyle
Starting weight training with balance, moving to resistance bands, and into circuits
How to progress as things become easy: at first you couldn’t do 10, now you can do 15. Time to progress.
The value of the 3 basics: planks, wall sits and modified push ups
The benefits of strength training: boosts metabolic rate at rest, improves bone density, helps keep your mobility, improve heart and cognitive health, helps with balance and promotes protein synthesis and muscle development.
Monitoring body composition of lean mass, fat mass and working for a higher amount of muscle.
Why monitoring body composition is better than monitoring BMI.
Making a lifestyle change works so much better than making a new years resolution.
Set realistic improvement expectations for 5-8 weeks.
The NAS Med progressive plan to strength training. Improving endurance over time.

Click here to open and download the PDF.

Links:

Suzanne Fowler’s website: EverybodyFitWestfield.com
Instagram https://instagram.com/everybodyfitwestfield

Our podcast continues to be among the top podcasts for women over 50, especially in the health and fitness categories. See our ranking in the top 2% of all podcasts here.

There’s still time to challenge yourself to the Becoming Elli 2025 January Bingo!

Podcast Partner Spotlight for January 2025:

If you enjoy what we talk about on the Fit Strong Women Over 50 podcast, you may want to checkout the Boomer Banter podcast.

Wendy Green is the host of the popular and inspirational Boomer Banter podcast. She pursues real talk about aging well. At Boomer Banter, Wendy explores financial literacy, mental and physical health, relationships and having a purpose, to help you age well.

Listen to her podcast at the Boomer Banter Website at heyboomer.biz. You may remember Wendy from “New Goals and Dreams with Wendy Green”, episode 139 of Fit Strong Women over 50.

Do It Your Own Way with Chris and Jill

December 24, 2024 / Chris Brown / 0 Comments

Episode 169 of the Fit Strong Women Over 50 podcast

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In this episode, we talk together about the successes and challenges of 2024. We realize that everyone is on their own fitness and health journey. Not everything works for everyone, but by following the Becoming Elli community and listening to the Fit Strong Women Over 50 podcast, we are sure that you’ll come away inspired, motivated and having a good sense of what you want to do to stay fit and strong.

Some of the highlights included some awesome interviews with guests, learning about new techniques at Podcast Movement 2024 and trying new challenges like eating the rainbow.

Some of the things we discussed in this episode:

Many great guests and highlights during 2024
Review of Chris’s 3 words for 2024 Connection, Declutter, Yoga
Review of Jill’s 3 words for 2024 Movement Schedule Community
Eating the Rainbow challenge for 2024
Our new challenge for 2025 January BINGO!

Links mentioned in Do It Your Own Way:

Pelvic Floor Health with Kim Vopni – also known as the Vagina Coach
Preventing Dementia with Mitchell and Emily Clionsky – Dementia Prevention checklist
The Power of Pushing Limits with Gwendolyn Bounds – being smart about being competitive
Adapting for Health with Maria Molvin
Ageless Aging with Maddy Dychtwald – the co-founder of Age Wave
Running over 50 with Henry Howard – Don’t let comparison be the enemy of Joy!
Defeat Your Cravings with Dr. Glenn Livingston– his description of the monster as well as all the free resources he offers
Elite Athlete Bree Lambert-Inspiring insights
Healthy Living with Alicia Jones – her YouTube exercise shorts

Our podcast continues to be among the top podcasts for women over 50, especially in the health and fitness categories. See our ranking in the top 2% of all podcasts here.

Podcast Partner Spotlight for December 2024:

Wendy Battles is a curious soul who loves to talk to people and understand their experiences. She believes that reinvention is a natural part of life and something that many of us have done numerous times.

Listen to the Reinvention Rebels podcast with stories of unapologetic women, 50-90 years young, who have boldly reimagined life on their own terms, to find renewed purpose and possibilities.

Website: Reinvention Rebels
Instagram
LinkedIn
YouTube
Email: wendy@reinventionrebels.com

Find Your Passion and Stay Healthy with Pat Bissell

December 10, 2024 / Chris Brown / 0 Comments

Find Your Passion and Stay Healthy with Pat Bissell #168

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Pat Bissell talks with Jill and Chris about how she found her passion and has consistently found ways to stay healthy and fit.

A long time friend of Chris’s, Pat describes herself as a very active mature female. She has been active her whole life always enjoying sports, exercise classes and strength training for the past 25 years.

We discuss:

How important the social aspect is to enjoying exercise
Working out with strength training on machines
Types of cardio she enjoys
Working through injuries and rehabbing after surgery
Recently turning 70 and keeping fit
Lifetime membership in weight watchers
Her alternative to butter
The key of using Small Steps when you are facing a challenging time
Eating lots of vegetables and fruit everyday.
Measuring what she eats and enjoying lentils and other healthy grains
Tracking minutes or distance with exercise
Healthy eating, exercise you enjoy and socializing as a key to staying healthy with food and activity

To ask Pat a question, please email Chris at Chris@becomingelli.com and she’ll pass along your question and email.

Podcast Partner Spotlight for December 2024:

Listen to the Reinvention Rebels podcast with stories of unapologetic women, 50-90 years young, who have boldly reimagined life on their own terms, to find renewed purpose and possibilities.

Website: Reinvention Rebels
Instagram
LinkedIn
YouTube
Email: wendy@reinventionrebels.com