Pahla B

[Leonana]

Originally Posted by prettyinpink

Okay, I am in the age range she speaks of and could lose a few pounds, so I could buy into this and try the very moderate workouts for 6-8 weeks and see what happens. She has clearly shifted in the past couple of years to low intensity in the videos she makes. I enjoy her for a light cardio day, when I don’t feel like exercising.

But if I just do her workouts for a while, I am concerned I would lose muscle.
When I look at her offerings, they seem to be nearly all light cardio, very very light on the strength. I already don’t do super intense cardio anymore, so I’m wondering, isn’t moderate more a comparison to what you are used to doing?

Some people don’t do enough regular exercise and might need to increase their activity to be moderate. Pahla ran marathons and ultramarathons prior to this, and at least for her channel, did very little in the way of progressive strength workouts. Strength doesn’t seem to be a big goal of hers. So her cardio is a big dial-back for her, but I was frankly never anywhere near her in intensity for cardio or endurance work. I’m wondering if I just did her current workouts and dropped my intensity with weights, all that might happen is that I will lost some strength and muscle, and probably temporarily a few pounds of water weight.

Is anyone following me here? We all look to what worked for someone else, but I don’t think she can prescribe what will work for everyone this age the way that she does.

I agree. While I agree with Pahla generally, what is moderate is different for every person. I like strength better than cardio, so for me her strength workouts aren’t enough. Strength is where I want to challenge myself.

And adding to what you and Donna mentioned, it is more about the D word. Pahla does talk about what she eats in her videos, and she does eat very healthy and low calorie.

[donnamp]

Another option for "moderate" workouts that I have found and enjoy so far is Lively Ladies on You Tube. The instructor is from Ireland and has a lovely accent. There is no music - and her exercises remind me a bit of Pahla's (she is much lower key than Pahla, too!) but out of the two I did I found them to be a smidge more challenging than Pahla's more recent workouts. She also includes more complete warm-ups and cool downs - so although the title will say "25 min" the workouts are usually 35 min.

Donna

[sbh]

Originally Posted by donnamp

Another option for "moderate" workouts that I have found and enjoy so far is Lively Ladies on You Tube. The instructor is from Ireland and has a lovely accent. There is no music - and her exercises remind me a bit of Pahla's (she is much lower key than Pahla, too!) but out of the two I did I found them to be a smidge more challenging than Pahla's more recent workouts. She also includes more complete warm-ups and cool downs - so although the title will say "25 min" the workouts are usually 35 min.

Donna

Donna, Thank you for the Lively Ladies mention!! I like Pahla, but that constant chatter is getting to me. These look great!

[momofcha]

Originally Posted by donnamp

Another option is to just try it and see how it goes - you can consider it a periodization program where you take it down for several weeks and then if it isn't working for you you can always ramp back up.

Donna

I actually did an essentrics rotation a while back for almost 3 weeks. Lost nothing and that was quite a bit easier than what I was used to.

My issue is similar to others - I don’t want to lose strength and unlike Pahla- strength is actually my first love. Cardio is a struggle for me. That’s what I love about kettlebells- best of both worlds.

[Messe]

I'm 73, and Pahla's workouts aren't enough for me. Her cardio doesn't elevate my heart rate, and her strength workouts are a prescription for losing my hard-earned muscle and strength. There's no way I could stay healthy if I ate as little as she says she does, nor can I imagine how boring my meals would be if I tried to eat the same number of calories every day (one of her recommendations).

[Lori_Michigan]

I really enjoy her as a person, oddly enough I like her mindset work the most. I doubt that I would have even thought of mindset, sleep, water, and calories as part of my perimenopause 30 lb weight gain.

That said, I tore my meniscus in February and have been rehabbing it since. I tried just her workouts for a month or so, and got nowhere fast. But I think the daily walking didn't help my knee either. I couldn't do a lot of her moves because of my bad knee and bad lower back.

I did cut back calories and lost a few pounds, which unfortunately just all came back and then some with my next cycle (I'm 47 and still frigging cycling regularly, argh!). Sigh. But that's perimenopause I guess.

I've started just weight training even with my limited movements with my bad knee (and shoulder and hip and lower back!). I just like it more now than cardio or even walking simply because it doesn't aggravate my injuries oddly enough.

I do think for me it's probably cutting calories and weight training if I'm ever going to really attack the 30-lb-menopot in my gut. So, long story short (or long), I like Pahla and I like the other aspects that she presents except her workouts. I do enjoy her cat and doggie though!

[ellaenchanted]

Moderate workouts work for me. Pahla used to exercise intensely due to long distance running. Yes, she has takien the strength workout down i intensity, too. I am not menopausal but will probably enter perimeno in about 2 years.

In other through threads through the years, I have always maintained that steady state cardio and moderate strength led to my best level of fitness. I haven't lost any strength or cardio capacity. Occasionally, I do a more intense workout for fun and I actually perform better now because I don't beat myself up on a regular basis and my muscles recover. I do Pahla, Jessica, Leslie workouts the most.

My mom has always been an avid walker, never did formal strength training workouts but has always been active in daily activities and she has never struggled with being overweight and has good bone density at 70. I am sure part of it is genetics.

[donnamp]

Sherri - you are welcome!! I plan to do more from the Lively Ladies channel!

ellaenchanted - those are my favorite workouts as well. Steady state cardio relaxes me - I also like fusion workouts and Pilates.

I think that Pahla is on to something with her 5.0 method - I do find that when I'm properly hydrated I feel better. I haven't been good about counting calories, and TBH, I just don't want to go there. I can definitely make some improvements to my diet - but I really don't want to log food or count calories -

I do enjoy her mindset work and I think that is what i like about the chatter in her workouts - a lot about what she talks about is managing your mind.

I wish I could sleep better - the insomnia does affect my morning workouts.

Donna

[prettyinpink]

Originally Posted by Messe

I'm 73, and Pahla's workouts aren't enough for me. Her cardio doesn't elevate my heart rate, and her strength workouts are a prescription for losing my hard-earned muscle and strength. There's no way I could stay healthy if I ate as little as she says she does, nor can I imagine how boring my meals would be if I tried to eat the same number of calories every day (one of her recommendations).

If you otherwise like her, some of her workouts before a couple of years ago offer more challenge. She labeled workouts by levels, with level 5 being the highest. I liked her ladder-style cardio interval workouts.
They aren’t Insanity-level of intense or anything like that, but they aren’t as easy as the recent ones I’ve tried.

[ellaenchanted]

Another option I like is GetHealthyU TV by Chris Freytag. I got my subscription for the top level access for around $12 for the whole year. There are specials every year for subscriptions. There are lots of good moderate choices as well as some higher intensity workouts. Chris leads or is in a lot of the workouts but there are a few other instructors, too.