Empowered Health

11/16/2025

This !!!

10/28/2025

There’s a lot of buzz about Dr. Peter Attia’s message that cardiorespiratory fitness (and strength) may predict longevity even better than blood pressure, cholesterol, or glucose levels.

He’s right — aerobic and muscular fitness are enormously protective. Every 1 MET increase in fitness (that’s one “metabolic equivalent,” roughly the energy cost of walking at 3 mph) can lower all-cause mortality risk by about 10–15%. METs are reported on exercise based stress tests. If you’ve had one in the past, go back and look and see what your MET level achieved was.  If you achieved greater than 8. That’s good. Greater than 10, even better. No uncomfortable VO2 max mask required.

But that doesn’t mean fitness replaces the importance of blood pressure, lipids, or insulin sensitivity. The best outcomes come from stacking these wins, not trading one for another.

👉 Blood pressure goal:
If you can keep your systolic pressure below 120 mm Hg naturally (through nutrition, activity, weight control, and sleep), that’s ideal.
If medication is needed, then maintaining below 130 mm Hg is still highly protective — the small difference mainly reflects that medications can sometimes introduce mild side effects that lifestyle doesn’t.

👉 Cholesterol & insulin sensitivity:
Fit people often have better insulin sensitivity and lipid profiles, but high ApoB or non-HDL cholesterol can still drive plaque formation even in athletes. Fitness reduces the risk — it doesn’t erase it.

👉 VO₂ max and METs — keep it simple:
You don’t need a fancy VO₂ max lab test to know your fitness level.
• METs can be easily estimated from a standard treadmill exercise stress test — something most hospitals and clinics can do.

• Or try a Cooper 12-minute run/walk test (distance covered in 12 minutes) to estimate aerobic capacity yourself (for instance, 8 minute mile at my age of 57 would be excellent).

• If you can briskly climb several flights of stairs without breathlessness (meaning the inability to reasonably speak) or sustain a solid 30-minute brisk walk, jog, or bike ride, you’re already in the range where cardiorespiratory fitness powerfully lowers mortality risk.

Formal VO₂ max testing is fascinating for elite athletes and researchers, but it’s not required — nor scalable — for population health. The principles are simple and low cost, even free: Move often. Stay strong. Be consistent.

10/11/2025

NEW CLASSES STARTING SOON! This week is a great week to try out a class for FREE to see if you like the FUN, effective, community based workout!

09/14/2025

09/01/2025

This !

A major review of over 1,000 trials shows that exercise is significantly more effective at reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety than medication or therapy — with benefits kicking in fast, especially in the first 12 weeks.

Strength training, yoga, and even short walks were all linked to measurable mental health improvements, with adults over 45 responding especially well.

Surprisingly, shorter workouts delivered better results than longer routines, challenging common assumptions.

Experts say it’s time to treat exercise as a first-line treatment, not just an add-on — and the data makes a compelling case.

Full breakdown and key findings below.

08/16/2025

This! I'm here to help

05/24/2025

The "bootcamp babes" getting it done! Way to go! More info .jodithomas.net

04/26/2025

Looking for an effective, fun power hour workout with community support ? Details at www.jodithomas.net

04/12/2025