Lift and Breathe

02/05/2026

National Women in sports day! 🏋️‍♀️⛹🏾‍♀️🤾🏾‍♀️🤸🏼‍♂️🤼‍♀️⛷️🏌🏻‍♀️🏊🏼‍♀️🤽‍♀️🚴🏻‍♀️🏂🏒

These keep getting better.

More fun. More connections with people. Witnessing triumphs, firsts and lasts.

I’ve got some good memories of sports as a kid. I played a lot of different sports. I wasn’t great at any of them, but they were fun, for the most part.😉

I’m glad I stayed with something and didn’t stop. It helps my brain, my heart and my whole body.

Keep women in sports. It’s never too late to play and the benefits are endless! 💚

02/04/2026

Prep for your birth with the Albany Family Life Center!

Join us on March for our Active Birth Series! For more info, reach out to Jessica@albanyfamilylifecenter.org

02/04/2026

Fun to learn that bursts of hard work can lead to brain benefits!

Did you know that even a single session of HIIT or SIT can deliver short-term boosts in attention, memory, and mental clarity—perfect for days when you need to be on your game? This same study also found that people who had bigger increases in blood lactate tended to show more improvement in attention. Over weeks and months, these benefits build, supporting long-term brain health and resilience.

A big reason? HIIT increases BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor)—a key chemical that supports neuroplasticity, learning, brain health, and mood. Higher BDNF levels are linked to better mental health and may help protect against conditions like depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder.

For those interested in diving into the research around exercise, cognition, and brain health, I highly recommend reading this article (https://bit.ly/44Yarvu). It highlights how some early research suggests that exercise might help reduce brain changes linked to Alzheimer’s and improve conditions like small vessel disease, a common cause of dementia.

So far, studies have mostly looked at how exercise affects gray matter in the brain (like the hippocampus, which is tied to memory). But new research shows exercise may also improve white matter (which helps with brain communication), brain blood flow, and overall brain connectivity. We still don’t fully understand how these changes relate to actual improvements in thinking and memory, but it’s exciting to know that there are more high-quality studies on the way that’ll help answer some of these questions.

Learn more >>> https://bit.ly/4sFf08b

​Study links:
https://bit.ly/4mYO2Vu
https://go.nature.com/4ppHeCj
https://bit.ly/4p3Kbbr

01/31/2026

Great info to follow not only related to fertility, but health for women. Your cycle is a vital sign.

01/27/2026

The fitness industry is sometimes seen as the Wild West. Anyone can get a trainer cert online fairly easily. People use their own images or others to sell. Fear tactics are used often to sell 😞

Strength & Fitness for women, especially prenatal, postpartum & beyond is nuanced. And recommendations change considerably- at least every 10 years. My programming 5, 10 years ago was quite different than it is now.

That’s why I listen to the experts, the leaders in research and those who treat women regularly. I keep local names in my contact list, pursue courses and listen to evidenced based podcasts regularly.

Yesterday, I listened 🎧 while chopping veggies for soup. Multi-tasking to feed my 3 kids, whose growth blows me away daily. Didn’t I just have babies? Nope. One recently turned 13 and next month my baby is TEN. A few weeks later, my oldest turns 17.

It’s fleeting, all of this time with them. So I get creative and listen to experts while I walk our 🐶 or meal prep.

What are your top podcasts lately? 🎧🎧

I rotate & ‘s active mom podcast. I also love anything that is on! 🩷

01/25/2026

WE ARE CLOSED MONDAY 1/26
STAY SAFE IN THE STORM.

01/23/2026

Many asked to see a snapshot of the week here at LIFT AND BREATHE…here it is!

We offer 20 LIFT sessions every week. We also have some specialty classes not listed here. People have flexibility to choose different times each week or to stay steady in preferred spot.

We are adding classes in the weeks ahead based on feedback from clients!

Take care of you! 🩷

01/23/2026

It's all here, excellent, clear direction on how to train during the perimenopause transition.

Not bad advice for other phases of life too!

Training in ​P​ERIMENOPAUSE (Study link >>> https://bit.ly/4sxSVbj)

If you’re in this transition phase and already consistently active (moderate to high activity level), we are looking to optimize training stress loads to create positive changes. Here’s how I’d suggest doing so:

Consistency is key: Your hormones are unpredictable, but your training shouldn't be. Plan the days you are training and make it your wellness meeting with yourself. If you feel flat on a day you’ve scheduled harder work, take a pause and just move: try technique in the weight room, do a short, sharp, sprint set instead of a HIIT set, or just go for a walk in nature!

Lift heavy: Compound movements like deadlifts and squats are great options (think 3–6 reps, 2–4 sets). This preserves lean mass and bone density, and by adding tempo work (varying the speed of the lifts) you can optimize power. Resistance training is the mainstay for your longer term healthspan. REMEMBER: It takes time to learn to lift heavy loads well (sometimes 6-12 months). Don’t compromise form for load, and ideally work with a certified trainer to get a periodized program that encompasses strength, power, and deloads.

SIT or HIIT 1–2x/week: Short, hard efforts trigger vascular, mitochondrial, and metabolic adaptation. They can also help with mood and brain health.

Impact work matters: Specific jumping, hops, and other multidirectional impact stress is needed to load the bones to improve bone density. Learn more about simple programs that take 2-5 minutes a day and can help improve your bone density at Osteo-Gains.

Get back in your groove: Low mood, brain fog, and a lack of motivation are all common symptoms of perimenopause. Don’t be afraid to switch things up and try new activities or make your training more social if you find yourself struggling for mojo.

Your goals: Improve your muscular power, strength and protect lean mass. Include some intensity. Stabilize metabolism. Support recovery.

​Learn more >>> https://bit.ly/4sx6Gaj

01/21/2026

This is my why! 💛💛

Did you know that Dexa results can change? 1-2 strength sessions per week can do that. Strength can change your life. 💪

It can change your diagnoses. It can change your mood. It can change your view. It can change so many things.

Try not to let fear get in the way of starting. I’m very proud of this person who shared their great news today. She is the best!

01/20/2026

Strength training + community = a beautiful recipe for success!

It fosters strength & fitness gains. 💪

Friendships are born and nurtured. 💛

People feel less alone and less fearful about strength training (it’s often misunderstood!)

Laughter is heard. We’re serious about form but we don’t take ourselves too seriously. 😂

Occasionally, there is some dancing. 💃

Consider a small group class. Or grab a buddy and hit your local gym.

Strength training has the power to change your life!

01/16/2026

Free event tomorrow for women!

01/12/2026

It’s a new year with lots of stuff you can buy to “get healthier”.

Probably avoid the shiny, quick fixes and go with the tried and true….

Decent nutrition (eat the rainbow 🌈 ), drink enough water 💦(half your body weight in ounces), quality sleep, movement, strength training 🏋️‍♀️ at least twice a week, a little community to help you stay accountable and to lift your spirits on days you’re not feeling it! 😄

We are here to help! Reach out questions about how to start.