Every year around this time the same thing happens. The weather shifts. We start walking more. We move more naturally again. And most women think — great, I’m active again.

But here's the deal: After 40, movement alone isn’t enough to maintain muscle and bone. Your body now requires load to keep the tissue you want.

That’s where a weighted vest becomes one of the most underrated but powerful tools you can use. And why it's a big part of my nursing home prevention program. 

The Midlife Shift: Why Walking Stops Being Enough

In our 20s and 30s, normal activity provides enough resistance to maintain muscle and bone density.

But around perimenopause, estrogen declines — and estrogen is deeply involved in:

• bone remodeling

• muscle maintenance

• connective tissue strength

• insulin sensitivity

So the body becomes more efficient at losing tissue than keeping it.

In other words, you can walk the same distance you always have… but still slowly lose muscle and bone. Which sucks. It's completely unfair. 

Same with pilates, hot yoga, swimming and even running. 
These activities are fantastic for your heart and fascia, but your body now asks a different question: “Is this movement challenging enough to keep this tissue?”

When it comes to walking, a weighted vest changes the answer from "no" to "yes."

What a Weighted Vest Actually Does

Adding just 5–15% of your bodyweight with a weighted vest changes how your body interprets movement.

Walking becomes resistance training. Stairs become bone-building. Daily life becomes strength maintenance.

You’re not exercising longer —
you’re increasing the signal your body receives to lay down bone cells.

Why This Matters for Women Specifically

The tissues most affected in midlife are the exact ones load protects:

Bone density

Bones strengthen in response to impact and compression.
A vest increases ground reaction force safely — without needing jumping.

Muscle preservation

Muscle responds to tension.
The vest makes every step a low-level strength stimulus.

Posture

Carrying load activates spinal stabilizers and upper back muscles — areas that weaken quickly with desk work and aging.

Metabolism

More muscle recruitment = improved glucose handling and energy usage, even at low intensity.

Why Spring Is the Perfect Time to Start

Winter workouts tend to be structured and indoor.

Spring adds natural movement outdoors:

• longer walks

• yard work

• errands on foot

• travel

• hiking

Instead of adding a new workout, just upgrade what you’re already doing.

This new habit will stick because it doesn’t require extra motivation — you just need to remember to wear it.

My choice - what I'd recommend

If your weighted vest is too light, it defeats the purpose; if it's too heavy, it becomes an occasional event as opposed to a regular daily habit. And since most weighted vests are 'fixed,' e.g., not adjustable, what's the right weight to go with? 

I love the idea of an adjustable weighted vest, it's just that when I looked for one, (this will shock you, I know) all of them were designed based off a male figure (🙄). Cue smushed boobs, weight sitting awkwardly on my hips or cutting into my shoulders, leading to an aching back and severe neck and shoulder chafing.

Cue: weighted vest sitting on shelf, thank you but no. 

But. I've been trialling this adjustable weighted vest by VYO Warrior. Made for women by women, and it's quite contoured to our figures. It's fully adjustable: it offers 8 little 2.5# pouches, for you to go as heavy as you please (up to 20#).

It's specially designed so your breasts aren't smushed together and the weight is evenly distributed across your back and chest without cutting into your shoulders. There's also no overhead entry (which can be a workout in and of itself just to get on), but instead it slips on like a jacket. Machine washable, made from high quality, durable materials. And it comes with a free DEXA-scan with purchase during their launch. It's a bit pricey at $299, but I have 2 other weighted vests I only once-in-a-blue-moon use because they are uncomfortable, bulky and chafe me (ouch!) so I see a great fitting product as an investment. It's worth it, if you plan to use it consistently and want a big payoff. 

PLUS the DEXA scan (my annual scan runs me $150).

So if you're going to go all in, I recommend this one. There are other brands online that you can find, but honestly, I've tried a handful now, and I can tell you this is the most comfortable and the one I'm most likely to reach for every day (which is what we're going for). 

How I Use It (Simple and Sustainable)

You don’t need to train like an athlete. If you're already walking regularly, awesome. Add a weighted vest (start with one that's between 8-10 pounds) and wear it on a 10 minute walk. As your body gets accustomed to the weight, build to 30 - 60 minutes at your normal pace. 

Once this feels normal, consider graduating to a heavier vest. That's it. Wear it often. As often as you can.

Your goal: you should feel worked — not strained. It should be a challenge but not so heavy that it becomes an occasional use instead of a regular daily thing you do. That defeats the purpose. 

The Long-Term Benefit

We often think of exercise as something we do for an hour, but physiology rewards what we do consistently.

A weighted vest turns everyday movement into:

• bone maintenance

• muscle signaling

• metabolic support

Without needing more time, more intensity, or more recovery.

The Real Goal

Not to burn calories.

To maintain the body you built and are building.

Small resistance, repeated daily, is one of the most reliable ways to age stronger.

Will you consider a weighted vest this spring? Drop me a note in the comments, below!

Let's do this; let's age well  naturally, love.

x

Juliana

PPS - if you enjoyed this blog post and you're not yet subscribed to our newsletter, sign up for our monthly newsletter! We drop aging well strategies on nutrition, exercise, sleep, HRT, clean beauty, facial exercise & more.