Meet Your Body with Jessica Valant, MSPT

“Toned” is one of the most common words in fitness. We are told we should want toned arms, toned legs and a toned stomach. We believe certain workouts will give us “long, lean muscles,” while heavier weights might make us “bulky.”

But what does being toned actually mean—and can you really tone a muscle?

In this episode of Meet Your Body, physical therapist Jessica Valant breaks down the physiology behind muscle tone, muscle definition and the appearance we often describe as “toned.” She separates fitness marketing from what is actually happening in the body and explains what to focus on if becoming stronger and more defined is one of your goals.

You'll learn:

What muscle tone actually means from a physiological perspective

What most of us really mean when we say we want to look “toned”

The roles muscle mass, body fat and genetics play in muscle definition

Whether you can spot-tone areas like your arms, stomach or thighs

The truth about “long, lean muscles” and whether certain workouts can create them

Whether lifting heavier weights will make women bulky

What actually helps if increased muscle definition is one of your goals

Why just focusing on harder workouts and fewer calories isn’t the answer

If you've ever wondered whether you should lift heavier, do more reps, lose body fat, change your workouts or find the perfect exercise to “tone” a specific area, this episode is for you. It will give you science and actionable tips while also placing the focus on what really matters - you feeling strong, independent and empowered in your body.

Sponsors:

➡️ Get 20% off your water purifier from AquaTru with code MEETYOURBODY - ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.aquatru.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

Resources mentioned in this episode:

⚫︎ How to Start Lifting Weights: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/meet-your-body-with-jessica-valant-mspt/id1649561552?i=1000719787855

⚫︎ Progressive Overload: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/meet-your-body-with-jessica-valant-mspt/id1649561552?i=1000755983233

⚫︎ Weight Loss Tips for Midlife: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/meet-your-body-with-jessica-valant-mspt/id1649561552?i=1000758876585⁠⁠⁠⁠

⚫︎ Jessica’s website, resources, services & more: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.jessicavalantpilates.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⚫︎ Jessica’s UNLIMITED community and app with daily workouts for muscle strength: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.jessicavalantpilates.com/unlimited⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⚫︎Watch our podcast episodes on YouTube here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@meetyourbodypodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⚫︎ YouTube workouts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/JessicaValantPilates⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⚫︎ Follow Jessica on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.instagram.com/jessicavalantpilates⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jessica Valant Pilates app:Apple IOS - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/mry5ya8r⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Google - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/yh3ty5fp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Jessica Valant and Jessica Valant Pilates, LLC, recommend you consult with a physician before starting any new exercise program. The information given here is not meant to treat or diagnose any medical condition.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Women over 40 are hearing the message loud and clear: You need to strength train. You need to lift heavy. You need to build muscle.

But what does that actually mean—and how much strength training do you really need?

In this episode of Meet Your Body, physical therapist Jessica Valant breaks down the science and practical realities of strength training for women in midlife and beyond. She explains why maintaining muscle and strength becomes increasingly important as we age, while cutting through some of the confusing and conflicting messages surrounding exercise for women over 40.

You'll learn:

Why strength training becomes increasingly important as we age

What actually counts as strength training

What “lift heavy” really means—and why heavy is different for everyone

How many days a week you should strength train

What progressive overload is and simple ways to use it

The major movement patterns to include in a well-rounded strength program

Where Pilates fits into strength training

Why walking and cardio still matter

How perimenopause, menopause, pelvic floor concerns, osteoporosis, previous injuries and recovery can affect your approach

Jessica also explains why strength training doesn't need to be complicated or extreme to be effective. You don't need to spend every day in the gym, lift the heaviest weights possible or give up the other forms of movement you love.

Whether you're completely new to strength training or wondering if your current routine is enough, this episode will help you build a realistic, effective approach that works for you.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

⚫︎ Free three day trial to UNLIMITED https://app.jessicavalant.com/sign-up

⚫︎ How to Start Lifting Weights ⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/meet-your-body-with-jessica-valant-mspt/id1649561552?i=1000719787855⁠⁠

⚫︎ About Progressive Overload ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/meet-your-body-with-jessica-valant-mspt/id1649561552?i=1000755983233

⚫︎ 20 Minute Beginner Dumbbell Workout: ⁠https://youtu.be/zRayn_kDjZw⁠

⚫︎ Jessica’s website, resources, services & more: ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.jessicavalantpilates.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

⚫︎ Jessica’s UNLIMITED community and app with daily workouts for muscle strength: ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.jessicavalantpilates.com/unlimited⁠⁠⁠⁠

⚫︎Watch our podcast episodes on YouTube here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@meetyourbodypodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

⚫︎ YouTube workouts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/JessicaValantPilates⁠⁠⁠⁠

⚫︎ Follow Jessica on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.instagram.com/jessicavalantpilates⁠⁠⁠⁠Jessica Valant Pilates app:Apple IOS - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/mry5ya8r⁠⁠⁠⁠Google - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/yh3ty5fp⁠⁠⁠⁠

Jessica Valant and Jessica Valant Pilates, LLC, recommend you consult with a physician before starting any new exercise program. The information given here is not meant to treat or diagnose any medical condition.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How can we help kids grow up feeling safe, confident and connected to their bodies in a world that constantly tells them that looks and size determine their value?

In this episode of Meet Your Body, physical therapist and women’s health expert Jessica Valant shares eight practical ways parents, grandparents, teachers, caregivers and other trusted adults can help children develop a healthy relationship with their bodies.

Jessica explores why the goal doesn't have to be teaching kids to always love their body as it grows and changes. Instead, we can help them build something deeper: a lifelong partnership with a body they can trust, believe in and enjoy.

You'll learn:

How to teach kids that their body is their partner—not something they need to fight, fix or control

Why focusing on what bodies can do can be more powerful than focusing on appearance

How the way adults talk about their own bodies influences the children around them

What to say when kids notice body differences, experience changes or compare themselves to others

Why using correct anatomical language matters for confidence, communication and safety

The importance of social media boundaries for kids

Why giving kids autonomy, respect and ownership of their bodies matters

Jessica also shares how messages from her own childhood shaped her relationship with her body and how raising her own children has challenged her to examine the words, habits and beliefs she models for them.

We can't protect kids from every message they'll hear about their bodies. But we can give them something powerful to carry with them: the understanding that their body deserves respect, care and partnership through every season of life.

If you're raising, teaching, coaching or caring for kids, this episode offers practical tools for helping them build a relationship with their bodies that can last a lifetime.

Sponsors:

➡️ Get up to 20% off Beam Minerals with code MEETYOURBODY: http://www.beamminerals.com/meetyourbody

⚫︎ Jessica’s website, resources, services & more: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.jessicavalantpilates.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⚫︎ THREE DAY FREE TRIAL of Jessica’s UNLIMITED community and app with daily workouts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.jessicavalant.com/unlimited⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⚫︎Watch our podcast episodes on YouTube here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@meetyourbodypodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⚫︎ YouTube workouts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/JessicaValantPilates⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⚫︎ Follow Jessica on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.instagram.com/jessicavalantpilates⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Jessica Valant Pilates app:

Apple IOS - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/mry5ya8r⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Google - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/yh3ty5fp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Jessica Valant and Jessica Valant Pilates, LLC, recommend you consult with a physician before starting any new exercise program. The information given here is not meant to treat or diagnose any medical condition.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this personal episode of Meet Your Body, Jessica Valant shares her own HRT journey: the symptoms that finally pushed her to consider hormone therapy, the questions and concerns she had before starting, what she tried first, what helped, what didn’t, and where she is now eight months later.

Jessica talks openly about the physical changes that were affecting her quality of life - joint and muscle pain and significant mood changes - and how she began trying to understand what role hormones might be playing.

She shares:

Why vaginal estrogen was a game-changer for some of her symptoms

The adjustments she made concerning her endometriosis

Why she initially started testosterone and estrogen and later added progesterone

The questions she asked about HRT given her breast cancer history and the conversations she had with her medical team

What she learned from tracking symptoms, making adjustments and giving the process time

The importance of using exercise, nutrition and nervous system nourishment as foundational health habits

Where she is now after eight months of HRT

Jessica also shares the emotional side of the decision: fear, uncertainty, weighing potential risks and benefits and accepting that there may not always be one perfect answer.

This isn't a prescription for what anyone else should do. Jessica is a physical therapist and women’s health expert, but in this episode she is sharing her experience as a woman navigating her own complicated hormonal transition.

Whether you're considering HRT, already taking it, or simply trying to understand what the process can look like in real life, this episode offers an honest and nuanced look at one woman's experience.

Sponsors

Factor Meals - Get 50% off with code MEETYOURBODY50off at the link here

Resources mentioned in this episode:

⚫︎ Jessica’s UNLIMITED community and app with daily workouts for muscle strength: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.jessicavalantpilates.com/unlimited⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⚫︎ Hormones in Perimenopause and Menopause: ⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/meet-your-body-with-jessica-valant-mspt/id1649561552?i=1000787395575⁠⁠

⚫︎ HRT 101: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/meet-your-body-with-jessica-valant-mspt/id1649561552?i=1000788838984

⚫︎ About the Women's Health Initiative Study: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/meet-your-body-with-jessica-valant-mspt/id1649561552?i=1000788451085⁠

⚫︎ My Perimenopause Journey: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/meet-your-body-with-jessica-valant-mspt/id1649561552?i=1000653471907

⚫︎ Jessica’s website, resources, services & more: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.jessicavalantpilates.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⚫︎Watch our podcast episodes on YouTube here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@meetyourbodypodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⚫︎ YouTube workouts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/JessicaValantPilates⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⚫︎ Follow Jessica on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.instagram.com/jessicavalantpilates⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jessica Valant Pilates app:Apple IOS - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/mry5ya8r⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Google - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/yh3ty5fp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Jessica Valant and Jessica Valant Pilates, LLC, recommend you consult with a physician before starting any new exercise program. The information given here is not meant to treat or diagnose any medical condition.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hormone replacement therapy is having a resurgence—but HRT isn’t one medication, one dose or the right choice for every woman.

In this episode of Meet Your Body, physical therapist and women’s health expert Jessica Valant breaks down what hormone replacement therapy actually is, what it can—and can’t—do, and the important factors to consider when deciding whether HRT might be right for you.

Jessica walks you through the three hormones you hear about most in the menopause conversation—estrogen, progesterone and testosterone—including why each might be prescribed and the different ways they can be taken.

You’ll learn:

What HRT is and who might be a good candidate

The differences between estrogen, progesterone, progestins and testosterone

Pills, patches, gels, creams and vaginal estrogen—and why the route of administration matters

What changes after a hysterectomy or removal of the ovaries

Special considerations for women with a history of breast cancer or endometriosis

What “bioidentical” hormones actually means

Why the timing of starting HRT matters

The proven benefits of HRT

The questions to ask your healthcare provider when considering hormone therapy

Most importantly, this isn't a conversation about whether HRT is simply “good” or “bad.” Your age, symptoms, medical and surgical history, personal risk factors, goals and preferences all matter.

Whether you’re curious about HRT, already taking hormones or have been told hormone therapy isn’t an option for you, this episode will give you the information and questions you need to have a more informed, individualized conversation about your health.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

⚫︎ Jessica’s UNLIMITED community and app with daily workouts for muscle strength: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.jessicavalantpilates.com/unlimited⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⚫︎ Hormones in Perimenopause and Menopause: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/meet-your-body-with-jessica-valant-mspt/id1649561552?i=1000787395575⁠

⚫︎ About the Women's Health Initiative Study: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/meet-your-body-with-jessica-valant-mspt/id1649561552?i=1000788451085

⚫︎ Podcast references: ⁠Dr. Heather Hirsch and Dr. Kelly Casperson

⚫︎ Jessica’s website, resources, services & more: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.jessicavalantpilates.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⚫︎Watch our podcast episodes on YouTube here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@meetyourbodypodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⚫︎ YouTube workouts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/JessicaValantPilates⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⚫︎ Follow Jessica on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.instagram.com/jessicavalantpilates⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jessica Valant Pilates app:Apple IOS - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/mry5ya8r⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Google - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tinyurl.com/yh3ty5fp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Jessica Valant and Jessica Valant Pilates, LLC, recommend you consult with a physician before starting any new exercise program. The information given here is not meant to treat or diagnose any medical condition.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices