Episode 18: Strength vs. Cardio for Busy Women: The Truth About Strength Training for Women Over 35 with Lindsey Bomgren

Is walking actually enough for women’s health and longevity? In this episode of The BeingBrigid Show, Brigid sits down with certified personal trainer and founder of Nourish Move Love, Lindsey Bomgren, to talk about why women must prioritize strength training if they want to protect their hormones, muscle, bones, blood sugar, and long-term independence. If you’ve ever wondered how much cardio you really need, how to lift in a busy season like postpartum, or whether hard workouts tank your cortisol, this conversation will change how you think about exercise, recovery, and eating for longevity. What You’ll Learn In This Episode Why walking is amazing—but not enough to prevent age-related muscle loss How strength training supports hormones, blood sugar balance and body composition The difference between cardio vs strength for women’s health and longevity How to build an efficient 3–5 day strength-training split (even postpartum) Why recovery, sleep, and fueling matter as much as your workout Lindsey’s real-life “why” for training for longevity, not just aesthetics How to train hard without wrecking your cortisol or nervous system What to expect from Lindsey’s Athlete 25 program and who it’s for Timestamps 01:44 – Is walking enough exercise for women’s health? 03:44 – Muscle loss, metabolism & bone health after 30 (and beyond) 05:44 – Cardio vs strength training: what actually matters for longevity 08:44 – How busy women can train 3-4 days/week effectively 12:14 – Full body vs split training: what Lindsey recommends 16:44 – Inside Athlete 25: how Lindsey programs like an athlete at home 20:14 – The “gray zone” workout mistake keeping women stuck 26:44 – Shifting from aesthetics to performance and progress goals 29:44 – Fitness as a keystone habit for mental health & energy 31:44 – Lindsey’s family story, heart health, and deep “why” for longevity 37:14 – Does hard training really spike cortisol? 39:14 – Recovery, sleep, fueling and mobility: the secret half of results 43:44 – Being a mom, entrepreneur, and still prioritizing health 45:44 – Athlete 25 details & how to train like an athlete at home 48:14 – Where to find Lindsey & join the Athlete 25 challenge Next Steps & Resources Mentioned Watch the full episode on YouTube Brigid’s Website Brigid’s Instagram Join Lindsey’s 2 week Athlete 25 Program Nourish Move Love Website Nourish Move Love Instagram