The Body Recomposition Revolution | Fat Loss and Strength for Women 35+

Are Apple Watches, Fitbit, and Garmin calorie counts accurate? Research says they're surprisingly good at tracking heart rate—but not at estimating calories burned. In this episode, you'll learn what wearable fitness trackers actually do well, why calorie burn estimates can be off by as much as 93%, and how relying on those numbers can sabotage your fat-loss progress. You'll also discover why heart rate is the metric you should trust, how different devices calculate heart rate zones, how to use the validated talk test to find your Zone 2 intensity, and why consistency—not perfect wearable data—is what truly drives body recomposition
Today's Targets
Calculate your five heart rate zones using your resting heart rate and ChatGPT, Google, or the Karvonen Method.
Complete 30–45 minutes of Zone 2 cardio, using your wearable or the talk test to stay in the correct intensity.
Drink 100 ounces of water today to support recovery, performance, and overall health

Ready to build muscle while losing fat? Join the RAC Recomp Collective for progressive monthly strength-training programs inside the RAC app.
Follow @RACFitness_ on Instagram for daily evidence-based body recomposition education, workouts, and nutrition tips.
Make sure you follow The Body Recomposition Revolution on Spotify and Apple Podcasts so you never miss a daily lesson in the 90-Day Summer Body Recomp Series.

What heart rate burns the most fat? The truth about the fat-burning zone (Zone 2 cardio) is one of the biggest misconceptions in fat loss—and understanding it can completely change how you approach cardio for body recomposition. In this episode, you'll learn why burning a higher percentage of fat during exercise doesn't automatically mean you'll lose more body fat, how the crossover concept actually works, and why Zone 2 remains one of the most valuable tools for women over 35 who want to lose fat while preserving muscle. You'll also learn when higher-intensity cardio has its place, how to find your personal Zone 2 heart rate, and why recoverable cardio is often more effective than constantly pushing yourself to exhaustion.
Today's Targets
Find your personal Zone 2 heart rate range using your Apple Watch, Garmin, Fitbit, or a heart rate calculator.
Complete 40 minutes of Zone 2 cardio, staying in your target heart rate range the entire session.
Invite a Zone 2 buddy to join you and share today's episode.
Ready to build muscle while losing fat? Join the RAC Recomp Collective for progressive monthly strength-training programs inside the RAC app.
Follow @RACFitness_ on Instagram for daily evidence-based body recomposition education, workouts, and nutrition tips.
Make sure you follow The Body Recomposition Revolution on Spotify and Apple Podcasts so you never miss a daily lesson in the 90-Day Summer Body Recomp Series.
If you're enjoying the show, a quick ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and review helps more women discover evidence-based fitness and supports the continued creation of free daily episodes.

How Much Cardio Should Women Over 35 Do to Lose Fat Without Losing Muscle?
Is more cardio always better for fat loss? Or could too much cardio actually slow your progress? In today's episode of The Body Recomposition Revolution, we dive into what research says about the ideal amount of cardio for women over 35 who want to lose fat, preserve muscle, and achieve true body recomposition—not just lose weight.

You'll learn why strength training should always come first, how excessive cardio can interfere with recovery and muscle growth, and why the goal isn't to do the most cardio—it's to do the least amount necessary to get the results you want.
We'll also cover the American College of Sports Medicine's cardio recommendations, how much Zone 2 and HIIT you actually need, why NEAT (your daily movement outside of exercise) plays such a powerful role in fat loss, and how to build a weekly cardio plan that supports your lifting instead of sabotaging it.
If you've ever wondered whether you should run every day, add another workout, or spend hours on the treadmill, this episode will help you train smarter—not just harder.
Today's Targets
Plan 150–180 minutes of mostly Zone 2 cardio into your week.

Record your body weight and measure your waist (at the belly button), thigh, and upper arm to track progress beyond the scale.

Find and make one new high-protein recipe with at least 25 grams of protein.

💪 Ready to build muscle while losing fat? Join the RAC Recomp Collective for progressive monthly strength-training programs inside the RAC app.
📲 I'm on Instagram! @RACFitness_ • education, workouts, recipes, and free resources.
🎧 Make sure you follow The Body Recomposition Revolution on Spotify and Apple Podcasts so you don't miss the next lesson in this 90-day body recomposition curriculum.
⭐ If you're enjoying the show, I'd be incredibly grateful if you left a star rating. Your support helps more women discover the podcast and allows me to keep creating free, evidence-based education.

Does Walking Count as Cardio? Can Walking Really Help Women Over 35 Lose Fat?
Many women believe walking is "too easy" to make a difference—but research says otherwise. In today's episode of The Body Recomposition Revolution, you'll learn why walking is one of the most underrated tools for fat loss, body recomposition, recovery, and long-term health after 35.

My recs

We'll discuss what actually qualifies as cardio, whether walking can burn belly fat (spoiler: no exercise can spot reduce fat), and why brisk walking may be one of the most sustainable forms of exercise for women who want to lose fat while preserving muscle.
You'll also learn why walking improves insulin sensitivity, blood sugar regulation, recovery between strength-training sessions, and overall daily calorie expenditure through increased NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis). Plus, we'll answer one of the most common questions in fitness: If running burns more calories, why not just run?
Whether you love long outdoor walks, laps around the mall, or a quick stroll after dinner, this episode will help you understand why consistent movement often beats exhausting workouts when your goal is body recomposition.
Today's Targets
​Take a 20–30 minute brisk walk today.
​Take a 5–10 minute walk after your largest meal today.
​Make sure you have a comfortable pair of supportive walking shoes that you'll actually enjoy wearing.
💪 Ready to build muscle while losing fat? Join the RAC Recomp Collective for progressive monthly strength-training programs inside the RAC app.
📲 I'm on Instagram! @RACFitness_ • education, workouts, recipes, and free resources.
🎧 Make sure you follow The Body Recomposition Revolution on Spotify and Apple Podcasts so you don't miss the next lesson in this 90-day body recomposition curriculum.
⭐ If you're enjoying the show, I'd be incredibly grateful if you left a star rating. Your support helps more women discover the podcast and allows me to keep creating free, evidence-based education.

What is the best cardio for losing fat without losing muscle?? Walking, running, HIIT, incline treadmill workouts, or Zone 2 cardio?

In Day 43 of The Body Recomposition Revolution, we begin Week 7 by answering one of the biggest cardio questions women ask:
Which type of cardio is best for fat loss?
The answer is not simply the workout that burns the most calories in 30 minutes.
For women over 35 focused on body recomposition, the best cardio is the type that supports strength training, preserves muscle, improves cardiovascular fitness, and allows you to recover.

You’ll learn why excessive cardio can leave women exhausted, hungry, weaker, and smaller without creating the toned shape they wanted. We also establish the body recomposition hierarchy:
​Strength training
​Daily movement and NEAT
​Zone 2 cardio
​Limited HIIT
​Recovery
You’ll also learn why adherence matters more than choosing the “perfect” machine, how daily steps can contribute substantially to energy expenditure, and why combining aerobic exercise with progressive strength training produces better body-composition results than cardio alone.
A practical weekly structure for many women includes three to five strength sessions, 8,000–12,000 daily steps, approximately 120–180 minutes of Zone 2 cardio, and no more than one or two brief HIIT sessions.
The goal is not to burn the maximum number of calories possible.
The goal is to burn the most calories you can recover from while continuing to build or preserve muscle.
Todays Targets
​Track your steps and begin working toward approximately 10,000 steps per day.
​Schedule your strength-training workouts before adding cardio to your calendar.
​Visit @RACFitness_ on Instagram, find the cardio guide, determine whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or advanced exerciser, and plan your weekly cardio accordingly.

Ready to build muscle while losing fat? Join the RAC Recomp Collective for progressive monthly strength-training programs inside the RAC app.

Follow @RACFitness_ on Instagram for the cardio guide, strength-training education, and practical body recomposition resources.

Follow The Body Recomposition Revolution on Spotify and Apple Podcasts so you receive every daily lesson in the 90-day series.
Please leave a star rating to help more women discover the show and help me continue creating this free daily curriculum for all of you.