Train Smarter, Not Longer

If you’re a woman in your mid to late 40s or 50s and still grinding away on the treadmill or elliptical, hoping to slim your waistline, it might be time to rethink your approach.

Exercise physiologist Dr. Stacy Sims explains that long, steady-state cardio isn’t just ineffective during perimenopause and menopause — it can actually work against you. As you lose progesterone, your body can’t buffer stress hormones like cortisol the way it used to. That means all those long runs and bike rides may actually increase belly fat, break down muscle, and leave you feeling drained. “You can’t out-cardio your hormones,” Sims says. “Menopausal women need to train smarter — not longer.”

The good news? The solution isn’t more cardio — it’s smarter training.

• Heavy Strength Training builds muscle, protects bone density, and keeps metabolism firing.

• True High-Intensity Intervals (short bursts of effort with full recovery) boost growth hormone, improve insulin sensitivity, and help regulate body composition.

These are the exact principles we’ve built our programs around at CrossFit Golden Gate. For over 13 years, we’ve been helping people train in ways that actually work with their physiology, not against it.

Whether you prefer personal training with a private coach who can tailor every session to your needs, or group classes where you’ll find smart, supportive programming already built in, we’ve got you covered.

We’re proud to be a woman-owned gym in San Francisco, committed to helping women in every stage of life feel stronger, healthier, and more confident.

It’s time to stop pounding the pavement and start training in a way that supports your hormones, your body, and your long-term health. If you’re doing hours of steady-state cardio and not seeing results — or worse, feeling more tired and stressed — it’s time to switch gears.

Lift heavy. Sprint short. Recover well.