Fit After 40: the Women’s Fitness & Health Revolution Podcast

Hot Take on Weighted Vest for Menopause : Terrific or Trash?

Aug 20, 2025 · 47 min · Episode 49 · 69.1 MB
0:00-47:57

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Weighted vests are all over the internet right now—hailed by some as the holy grail of menopausal fitness and dismissed by others as a dangerous gimmick. So what’s the truth?

 

In this episode, I dive into the research (spoiler: it’s a lot less flashy than Instagram claims) and give you my unfiltered hot take on whether weight vests are worth your time—or just another piece of equipment destined for the garage.

We’ll cover:

  • What the science really says about vests and bone density

  • Whether they improve cardiovascular health (or just make you sweaty)

  • Surprising benefits like balance, posture, and leg power

  • Who might genuinely benefit from a vest—and who should skip it

  • Why strength training still reigns supreme for bone health and aging well

If you’re weight-vest curious, I’ll help you decide whether it’s a tool worth adding to your routine—or one you can happily pass on.

🎧 Tune in for the full breakdown, my own experience walking the lake with Argo in a vest, and why sometimes the feeling of getting stronger matters just as much as the science.

 

Research and Resources:

Coach Kinsey's Weight Vest

Adjustable Weight Vest

Under-Desk Treadmill

FIT AFTER 40 Small-Group Personal Training Waitlist

Hot Take On Under-Desk Treadmills

Long-term Exercise Using Weighted Vests Prevents Hip Bone Loss in Postmenopausal Women 

Quality of Life Research

Weighted Vest Use or Resistance Exercise to Offset Weight Loss–Associated Bone Loss in Older Adults

JAMA Network Randomized Clinical Trial

Metabolic Costs of Walking with Weighted Vests

CDC Fall Facts