This week's issue of Feisty 40+ is brought to you by the Feisty Strong Barbell Club, a 12-week strength program designed for women who want real coaching, expert barbell programming, and a supportive community to help them build true, lasting strength. Learn more here.

🔥 3 Actually Good New Year's Resolutions for Active 40+ Women

(and zero involve shrinking yourself…)

Happy 2026! I’m actually not one for New Year’s resolutions. Mostly, because I think they tend to be born out of some sort of self dissatisfaction that we all tend to feel a bit more keenly around the holidays, as we long to shed the stress of the season and get back on track. As such, they’re often a little unrealistic or even “punishing” (i.e. I’m going to go to the pool every morning at 5:30 a.m.!) So, it’s little wonder we abandon them by February.

That said, I do think the new year is a fine time for setting some intentions that will help move you toward your goals—whatever they may be—for the year.

Here are 3 worth considering:

1. Build Your “Performance Floor”

As goal and performance oriented women, we often set “ceiling goals” like personal bests and fastest times. This year consider “floor goals” instead. That is, set some baseline benchmarks that will give you a foundation of fitness, which allows you to say “yes” to fun challenges that come your way. What does that look like? For me personally, it’s super basic:

Run 2 days a week.
Full body lift 2 days a week.

As a cyclist who also likes to jump in running events from time to time, this “performance floor” goal makes sure I’m never starting from zero. I often lift more than that; but I’m known to let the lifting slide in the summer. A floor goal keeps me on track. And it’s totally doable.

2. Train Your Nervous System

With age, reaction time slows. That’s not helpful for sports, obviously, but it also sets the stage for falls late in life. Train your central nervous system to sharpen the communication between your brain and muscles for better control and balance and to keep those muscles firing fast and forcefully.

Stand on one leg when you brush your teeth (alternate legs between morning and night brushings. I’ve recently upped my challenge by closing my eyes for a few seconds when I’m done–it’s TOUGH). Add 10 to 20 jumps, hops, or bounds to the end of your daily training session.

3. Create a Simple De-Stress Practice

The stress-relieving benefits of breath work and mindfulness are undeniable…if you do them. Here’s how to make it an easy habit throughout your day every day.

Take 5 deep breaths and set your daily intentions before picking up your phone in the morning.
Take 5 deep breaths and give thanks for something good in your life before eating lunch.
Take 5 deep breaths while thinking of one thing that makes you smile before bed.

Join me in Mallorca!

After an awesome trip to Girona last summer, we're excited to be heading to Mallorca!

We're partnering with our friends at The Cyclist's Menu to offer a cycling trip on the Baleric Islands in Spain from May 17-22. This women's-only adventure includes six days of riding and five nights of dining in Mallorca.

Want to come ride beautiful roads and eat good food with Kathryn and I?

Learn more here.

🤔 Might it be Menopause?

You used to be upfront and center at every concert, despite the earth-tremmering decibel levels. Now? You have to turn down the radio just to think straight enough to back out of the driveway. Though it’s common to develop noise sensitivity with age (and hearing damage from those ear-ringing rock concerts also plays a role), menopause can indeed contribute to sensory sensitivity, including lowering your tolerance to loud noises.

That’s because estrogen plays a pivotal role in how the brain processes sounds and hormonal fluctuations can impact the inner ear and auditory pathways. (As we’ve covered in past newsletters, tinnitus is also common during this time of life.)

You can adjust to this sensitivity by turning down the volume when possible (obviously) and wearing earplugs to loud events. It’s also important to get your hearing checked and address any hearing loss. Research shows that midlife hearing loss is associated with smaller brain volume, accelerated worsening of executive function, and an increased risk of dementia. So take your hearing seriously.

🔥Badass Athlete of the Week Goes To…

A belated way to go to ultra-distance runner Caitriona Jennings for setting a new women’s 100-mile world record at the 2025 Tunnel Hill 100 Mile race this past November. The 45-year-old runner from Ireland crossed the line with a remarkable time of 12:37:04, breaking the existing record by over five minutes.

Even more impressive, Jennings had never run longer than 60 miles before smashing the record at Tunnel Hill. As she told The Irish Sun, “I’m just really pleased that I was able to go out and execute the race like I had hoped and the best I could. I’m just delighted that it paid off.”

We are, too, Caitriona! Way to go!

👉Want a chance to be featured? Click here to share your badass story

🏋🏻‍♀️Join the Feisty Strong Barbell Club! Registration closes SUNDAY

You've been asking for more guidance on lifting heavy and we listened. The Feisty Strong Barbell Club is a 12-week strength program designed for women who want real coaching, expert barbell programming, and a supportive community to help them build true, lasting strength.

You’ll get 3 strength workouts per week, optional HIIT finishers, monthly coaching calls, weekly form reviews, guest experts, and thoughtful guidance from coach and Feisty 40+ favorite Cassi Niemann.

Throughout the program, you’ll learn foundational barbell lifts, build confidence under the bar, and follow a training plan that meets you where you are—no cookie-cutter workouts, no AI, just sustainable, expert-led programming. Perfect for beginners to intermediates with access to a barbell, rack, and bench.

Learn more and sign up here! Use code STRONG2026 for $50 off at checkout.

👩🏻‍💻 Hit Play Research Round Up

We spend a lot of time scouring the latest research for news you can use to stay strong and feisty forever. Here’s what’s making waves this week:

🧠 Lifting weights is good for 60+ brains. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of resistance training on cognitive function in older adults found that resistance training improved overall cognitive function, working memory, and verbal learning. If you haven’t developed a strength training practice yet, do it for your mind as well as your muscles.

🥵 Women are still not seeking menopause care. A Mayo Clinic survey of nearly 5,000 women ages 45–60, found that more than three out of four reported experiencing menopause symptoms, with 34% saying they had moderate to very severe symptoms. Yet, 87% of them did not seek medical care, saying they were too busy or lacked awareness about effective treatment options. Menopause symptoms aren’t just disruptive, they’re also linked to chronic disease. Get the help you deserve.

🌿 Ashwagandha can help reduce cortisol, but not necessarily subjective stress levels, according to a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. The study found that the adaptogen significantly reduced cortisol levels, but did not consistently or statistically significantly change perceived stress. Of course, research doesn’t cover every individual’s experiences and reductions in cortisol may still still support sleep, if you use it for those purposes. And other studies have found that it lowers both cortisol and subjective stress.

🚴‍♀️ TWO New Bike Mechanic Camps On Sale Now!

After the success of our two bike mechanic camps in Patagonia this fall, we're bringing in two more brand-new camps for 2026.

These 4-day camps are built to help you feel truly confident and capable with your own bike – from understanding how it works to getting hands-on with the tools. Each day combines practical “classroom” learning with focused wrenching sessions on your bike, giving you the confidence to troubleshoot problems, make needed repairs, and understand your bike at a deeper level. You’ll also have time to unwind on with group rides and connect with other feisty women in a supportive, judgment-free space.

Vermont | Madbush Falls
June 10-14, 2026

Tucson

November 12-16, 2026

What's On My Mind...

Trust yourself. The midlife and menopause space has gotten hella crowded and pretty noisy since we started podcasting and creating Feisty Menopause content five years ago. There are lots of people (including myself) dishing out their best advice. Just remember, the best judge of what advice is best for you, is always you. Looking forward to another great year together.

Listen to this week's episode of Hit Play Not Pause - Carbohydrates: The Key to Midlife Heath & Performance

Feisty 40+ is written by Selene Yeager. Edited by Maya Smith. Ads by Ella Hnatyshyn

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