Strong Bones🦴, Resilient Hearts🩷: The Power of Lifting and Moving

If you read my bio page, it’s easy to look at my degrees and certifications and assume I’ve always been the ‘poster child’ for health and fitness. After all, my entire career working with high school students focused around health and fitness and now, in retirement, my focus is the same, just a different group of people (a little bit older, and much wiser).

But let me let you in on a little secret: passion doesn't make it easy, and expertise doesn't make me immune to the struggle.

The truth is, my relationship with my body and fitness has been a little bit of a roller coaster. I’ve been in the absolute best shape of my life, and I've been totally out of shape. I’ve been incredibly motivated, and hit weeks where my motivation evaporated entirely. I’ve gained weight, lost weight, and ridden every wave in between. Maybe some of you can relate to this.

And then came the real plot twists.

Going through the “M” stage of life was, quite frankly, awful for my body and my self-esteem. The sudden, stubborn weight gain in my mid-section, brain fog, and exhaustion that often accompanies that transition hit hard. On top of that, managing Vestibular Migraines and PPPD meant starting daily medications, many of which are notoriously unfriendly to your metabolism and scale.

Suddenly, the fitness tools I used in my 20s and 30s and even 40s didn't work the same way anymore. I had to learn how to extend immense grace to myself, reset my expectations, and redefine what "being fit" actually means in this chapter of life. Waking up from open-heart surgery in 2020 added a whole new layer to that humbled reset. It taught me that our bodies aren't fragile things we need to baby or fear; rather, they are incredibly resilient, and they want to heal if we just give them the right support.

In this chapter of life, we stop exercising just to fit into a certain clothing size or to look a certain way. Instead, we move to foster our longevity, protect our independence, and support our mental wellness. For me, that means looking past the old fitness divide that forces us to choose between being a 'cardio person' or a 'weights person.' True, vital longevity relies on two foundational pillars: resistance training to safeguard our bones, and cardiovascular conditioning to keep our hearts strong.

🏋️‍♂️ Pillar 1: Strong Bones (Why Resistance is Non-Negotiable)

As we enter into new chapters of life, our bodies naturally and unfortunately want to shed lean muscle mass and bone density. Resistance training ~ whether you use dumbbells, a weighted bar, resistance bands, or your own body weight ~ is the definitive "use it or lose it" solution.

When we challenge our muscles against gravity, they pull on our bones. That pull creates a mechanical stress signal that tells our bodies to lay down new bone tissue layers and reinforce our skeletal structure.

According to guidelines from the American Heart Association (AHA), adults should incorporate moderate- to high-intensity muscle-strengthening activity at least two days per week. We aren't trying to build bulky, competitive muscles here.

We are lifting to:

• Prevent Bone Loss: Progressive resistance training is the gold standard for maintaining bone mineral thickness and fighting off osteopenia.

• Support Joint Longevity: Building strong muscles around your knees, hips, and shoulders acts like a built-in brace, easing daily joint pressure.

• Keep Your Metabolism Humming: Lean muscle tissue is active tissue, helping your body process energy efficiently even when you are relaxing.

🩷 Pillar 2: Resilient Hearts (Why We Move)

While strength training builds your structural frame, cardiovascular exercise conditions your internal engine, your beautiful heart. Cardio isn’t about grueling, high-impact miles that leave your joints aching. It’s about raising your heart rate in structured, purposeful intervals.

Because of my history with open-heart surgery (see my story on the Fitness & Yoga page), I see my cardiologist regularly for checkups. At one of my recent visits, we were chatting about my routine, and I was breaking down everything I do for exercise (my yoga practice, fitness workouts, and regular walking). At the end of my list, I looked at her and admitted, I probably could use more cardio.

Without missing a beat (pun intended), she looked right back at me and replied, "Everyone could use more cardio."

I had to laugh right then and there, but honestly, she’s completely right! The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the AHA recommend aiming for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week. Your heart is a muscle, and just like any other muscle, it grows stronger and more efficient when gently challenged. Regular cardiovascular conditioning helps lower cardiovascular risk, enhance everyday stamina, and trigger a natural, beautiful release of endorphins that lift your mood.

🐾 The Wellness & Boxer Wags Approach: Smart, Balanced Intervals

If the idea of jumping from heavy weights to intense cardio machines sounds exhausting or a bit risky for your joints, I have great news: you don’t have to keep them separate! Recent data confirms that combining aerobic and resistance training together yields some of the most powerful, well-rounded results for bone mineral density, overall balance, and fall prevention.

In the Wellness & Boxer Wags approach, we structure routines as steady, low-impact circuits. In my fitness classes, I love alternating controlled, weighted bar or dumbbell movements with brief, upright cardio intervals. This gives you the ultimate double-benefit in a short amount of time, without ever compromising your joints.

Furthermore, because I personally manage vestibular issues, I know exactly how frustrating it is to feel like a workout might trigger a dizzy spell. That’s why I design circuits to be completely vestibular-friendly. We keep our focus straight ahead, stay on steady, predictable planes of motion, and avoid rapid head-turning or sudden drops to the floor. You can step up your heart rate and challenge your muscles with total, absolute confidence.

Of course, you could still incorporate cardio separately into your day. If you are lucky enough to have a Tango in your life, feel free to take as many walks as you'd like. Because, in the words of my awesome cardiologist, everyone could use more cardio ❤️

⏱️ Try It Out: The 3-Minute Fitness Reset

Ready to feel the difference right now? Stand up tall, find a steady focus straight ahead, and try this quick, zero-equipment interval circuit:

1. Minute 1 (Strength): Perform slow, controlled bodyweight Good Mornings. Focus on keeping your spine completely flat, hinging cleanly at your hips, and driving through your heels to engage your glutes and core. Try to get your torso close to parallel with the ground, depending on your hamstring flexibility. Listen to those hamstrings and only do what's comfortable for your body.

2. Minute 2 (Cardio): Transition immediately into an upright, low-impact Standing Knee Drive. March in place intentionally, drawing one knee up toward hip height at a time while pumping your arms to step up your heart rate.

3. Minute 3 (Recovery): Finish with a static Chest Opener. Interlace your fingers behind your back (or use a strap/towel), lift your heart, slide your shoulders down, and take deep, slow breaths to bring your heart rate back down smoothly.

🐾 Finding Your Core Alignment

When the journey feels overwhelming, or when you're navigating a season where your motivation has completely vanished, I always return to one of my absolute favorite quotes by Arthur Ashe: "Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can."

I used this quote with my high school health and PE students, and now I share it with the people I teach at the wellness studio. I share it because I want them to understand a fundamental truth: this is your practice, your workout, your pace, your weights. You aren't competing with the person next to you, and you aren't competing with the version of yourself from ten years ago. You are showing up for the body you have today.

True wellness doesn't require extreme, grueling workouts. It’s about small, intentional choices that honor where your body has been, where it is today, and where you want it to go. When we move with intention, we return to what I call the Five for Life philosophy: finding Peace in our minds, Love in our actions, Health in our minds and bodies, Happiness in our spirits, and a steady sense of Balance in everything we do.

I’ve included a copy of our "Five for Life" philosophy above as a little daily gift for you. Feel free to click on the image to save it to your photos and make it a favorite. Look at it frequently and carry the sentiment with you throughout your day, both on and off your mat 🩷

Lift fully, breathe deeply, and find your balance step by step!

~Sue 🩷 🐾

Wellness & Boxer Wags | wellnessandboxerwags.com

Peace in our hearts • Love in our actions • Health in our minds & bodies • Happiness in our spirits • Balance in everything.

⚠️ Disclaimer: For informational purposes only. Consult your physician before beginning any new exercise program. Practice at your own risk.

📚 Want to Check Out the Science?

If you want to dive into the data to read more about this topic:

• The Power of Combined Training: Read up on how combining weights and cardio protects your hips and spine by browsing the clinical trial data on the official PubMed Database.

• Balance & Staying Steady: Check out the studies showing how multi-component interval circuits drastically reduce the risk of trips and falls on the National Center for Biotechnology Information website.

• Official Heart Guidelines: View the recommended weekly aerobic and resistance targets for adults directly on the American Heart Association Fitness Basics portal.