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It’s an investment in future healthspan, especially in midlife."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"3da5b5636901","_type":"link","href":"http://pvolve.com"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"3ffce36f2b82","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"3c0e180687a00","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"For women in their 40s and 50s juggling the career peaks at work and caregiving at home, however, finding time to prioritize this investment can be a challenge."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"83d32e737dfe","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"9ffd64b04e840","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"We asked leaders behind this midlife-focused fitness method — President "},{"_key":"9ffd64b04e841","_type":"span","marks":["83327c30fcd0"],"text":"Julie Cartwright"},{"_key":"9ffd64b04e842","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" and "},{"_key":"9ffd64b04e843","_type":"span","marks":["0b8dd9e7b133"],"text":"Dr. Jessica Shepherd"},{"_key":"9ffd64b04e844","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":", OB/GYN and PVOLVE Advisory Board Member for Women’s Health & Longevity — about the habits that can make the biggest impact for women whose lives (and calendars) are already full."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"83327c30fcd0","_type":"link","href":"https://www.instagram.com/_juliecartwright/?hl=en"},{"_key":"0b8dd9e7b133","_type":"link","href":"https://www.instagram.com/jessicashepherdmd/?hl=en"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"cd1e2cce2500","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"85b7bd6b8b0e0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Read on for their insights on building strength and stamina and building a company for a demographic that’s so often overlooked."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"119783e26248","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"2080058b94130","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Women are often navigating perimenopause and menopause at the highest-stakes moments of their careers, and yet health and professional performance are so often treated as separate conversations. From a fitness standpoint, what makes the biggest difference in helping women stay resilient through these transitions?"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"733f8591e0c1","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"c8ba301f25870","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Dr. Shepherd"},{"_key":"c8ba301f25871","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":": One of the biggest shifts I want women to understand is that fitness in midlife is not about chasing a certain look, it is about protecting the body that allows you to continue doing everything you love and everything you are called to do."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"b6e4418bff62","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"2933340480e10","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Perimenopause and menopause are seasons of significant physiological change. As estrogen levels fluctuate and decline, women can experience changes in muscle mass, bone health, metabolism, sleep, recovery, and energy. These changes are not just physical, they can influence confidence, mental clarity, resilience, and how women show up in their careers, relationships, and daily lives."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"44bc05dcaa4b","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"159ffe69a6560","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"This is why I believe strength training becomes one of the most powerful tools for women in midlife. Muscle is not just about strength; it is a critical organ of longevity. It supports metabolic health, helps regulate blood sugar, protects bones, improves balance, and plays a major role in maintaining independence as we age."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"0cf416b7ded7","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"4c5288e367b40","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"I encourage women to focus on three foundational pillars: strength, mobility, and stability. We are not simply trying to build a stronger body for today, we are building a body that can carry us through the next several decades with confidence and capability."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"046d86b45f3d","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"16f78266fb3c0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"What I appreciate about the "},{"_key":"16f78266fb3c1","_type":"span","marks":["22a2cd0b55cb"],"text":"PVOLVE"},{"_key":"16f78266fb3c2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" method is that it recognizes this need for smarter, sustainable movement. It is not about pushing harder or punishing your body. It is about training in a way that supports how women actually want to live, with energy, strength, confidence, and longevity."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"22a2cd0b55cb","_type":"link","href":"https://www.pvolve.com/"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"0b83b4451597","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"528f93f464860","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"If a woman wants to be leading at full capacity in her 60s and 70s, what would you tell her she needs to start — or stop — doing in midlife?"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"bfa14479611a","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"b86c61b84c030","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Dr. Shepherd"},{"_key":"b86c61b84c031","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":": For many years, women have been conditioned to think about fitness through the lens of weight loss, calorie burn, or appearance. But as we move through midlife, the conversation has to evolve. The focus becomes: How do I preserve strength? How do I protect my bones? How do I maintain mobility, energy, and independence?"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"a01323e5b3e1","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"ee57a81bd5e30","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"The habits we establish in our 40s and 50s can dramatically influence how we age."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"57f9495c3e0d","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"ece5ded385610","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Start prioritizing:"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"918725d86f3f","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"4ef00bebcef80","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Strength training consistently"}],"level":1,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"c490be14c7d3","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"17dec3eab6570","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Daily movement and reducing sedentary time"}],"level":1,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"923296d485b3","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"f3243b493ea00","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Adequate protein intake to support muscle repair and maintenance"}],"level":1,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"9fb54061203f","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"b04533f18db00","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Recovery, sleep, and stress management"}],"level":1,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"831b70f1ef36","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"76d52da0f48e0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Training for function, not just fitness"}],"level":1,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"1d8edcf217fb","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"9649a070056b0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"And I would encourage women to stop believing that aging means decline is inevitable. Aging is a process, but we have tremendous opportunity to influence how we experience it."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"b6081d2c97b4","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"4ec06f5e00920","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Research, including "},{"_key":"4ec06f5e00921","_type":"span","marks":["965f033e959a"],"text":"PVOLVE's Healthy Aging Study"},{"_key":"4ec06f5e00922","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":", continues to demonstrate that resistance training and functional movement improve lean muscle mass, strength, balance, and mobility, all key components of healthy aging and maintaining independence."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"965f033e959a","_type":"link","href":"https://www.pvolve.com/blogs/all/healthy-aging-clinical-study"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"a2f8b0ada626","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"905cf351eb090","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"The goal is not to be the youngest version of yourself. The goal is to become the strongest, most resilient version of yourself at every stage."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"2c3e091ea872","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"8cd413e5c3f20","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Beyond their professional responsibilities, women leaders are often caring for children or aging parents at home. What is your advice for how they can start to prioritize their own physical health and longevity when so much of their time is not their own?"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"ab051c0bcadb","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"b2b6145dade10","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Dr. Shepherd"},{"_key":"b2b6145dade11","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":": One of the most important conversations we need to have with women is this: Your health is not a luxury. It is the foundation that allows you to continue caring for everyone and everything that matters to you."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"d00d2e9a9914","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"567b1c6cffa00","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Women are often the CEO of their families, their careers, and their communities, but too often they put themselves at the bottom of the list. The reality is that we cannot continue to pour from an empty cup."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"484dbfe9d531","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"04ac1c8395e20","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Prioritizing your health does not require hours in the gym or a perfect routine. It requires consistency and intentionality."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"f42fd69b8ddd","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"5c3bd1b989740","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Movement can be integrated into real life:"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"c20edc1834c8","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"f47bf8cab9110","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"A 20-minute strength session"}],"level":1,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"267c73324aca","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"781db77b8a880","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Walking throughout the day"}],"level":1,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"d1bddfb0919a","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"fd821cf55c470","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Mobility work in the morning"}],"level":1,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"1b8bb25661ea","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"f1d3543192260","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Choosing activities that make you feel capable and energized"}],"level":1,"listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"606357f1d7f2","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"919bdfb6d8610","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Small, consistent actions compound over time."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"098e01b398a8","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"919bdfb6d8611","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"For women in midlife who are beginning to take their fitness more seriously, what are the most important factors to keep in mind?"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"8e3890f096b6","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"c42aa51ae7740","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Dr. Shepherd"},{"_key":"c42aa51ae7741","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":": First, recognize that the strategies that worked in your 20s and 30s may not be the strategies your body needs now, and that is not a failure. It is biology. Your body is changing, and your approach to fitness should evolve with it."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"a621ac8279cc","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"8f70864039450","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Second, prioritize building and preserving muscle. Beginning around our 30s, women naturally experience gradual declines in muscle mass and strength, often estimated at approximately "},{"_key":"8f70864039451","_type":"span","marks":["da7c28f7e5f3"],"text":"3–8%"},{"_key":"8f70864039452","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" per decade, with the rate varying based on lifestyle, activity level, nutrition, and hormonal changes. Maintaining muscle becomes especially important during the menopausal transition because it influences metabolism, glucose regulation, bone strength, balance, and overall function. Muscle is one of our greatest longevity tools."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"da7c28f7e5f3","_type":"link","href":"https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2804956/"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"3f47336edfed","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"343b2e6bb00d0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Finally, think beyond the workout itself. Fitness is not just about what happens in the gym, it is about creating a body that supports your life: Can you travel? Play with your children or grandchildren? Carry groceries? Recover from challenges? Feel confident and capable?"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"930205b395fe","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"6e04015bc6210","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"That is the true measure of fitness in midlife."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"46428baeaa35","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"9bc55785dd510","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Julie, you’re a longtime Chief Member. How has your experience in this or other communities shaped your approach building PVOLVE as a company that serves women in midlife?"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"37f7f56a0e9c","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"7b0cd28674340","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Cartwright"},{"_key":"7b0cd28674341","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":": Honestly, I have always been blown away by what women are capable of. The older I get, the more that feeling grows, and being part of Chief puts that on display for me every single day. I'm surrounded by women leading companies, raising families, reinventing careers, and doing it all while their bodies are going through massive change, and it has made me a little obsessed with one idea: It is not fair that we are told to slow down or let menopause or aging define us."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"aeac689916f4","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"eed6f57a3e880","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"That feeling is a huge part of why PVOLVE exists the way it does. We are not building a brand for women in spite of midlife; we are building it because midlife is when women are doing some of the most important work of their lives, and they deserve a body that can keep up. It is also why we have invested in gold-standard clinical research like the "},{"_key":"eed6f57a3e881","_type":"span","marks":["4fc715366caf"],"text":"Healthy Aging Study"},{"_key":"eed6f57a3e882","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":", tested on women, for women. Women deserve answers that actually work, backed by real clinical rigor, not another wellness trend, or a fitness solution tested on men and handed to women as an afterthought."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"4fc715366caf","_type":"link","href":"https://www.pvolve.com/blogs/all/healthy-aging-clinical-study"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"bb7857fed4c2","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"7a94fa5273440","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"At Chief, we like to quote the saying, “If you want to go fast, go alone. But if you want to go far, go together.” What role do you think community can play in supporting women’s health and longevity?"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"8db03d621335","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"8639342b5bc20","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Cartwright"},{"_key":"8639342b5bc21","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":": I think community is one of the most underrated drivers of long-term health. When women feel supported, seen, and understood, they're far more likely to stay engaged in behaviors that improve their health over time. Community creates accountability, but it also creates encouragement, education, and shared experience. These are all incredibly important when navigating major life transitions."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"928e2a508293","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"f08193a48f470","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"At PVOLVE, we often talk about longevity, but longevity isn't just about living longer. It's about maintaining the strength, confidence, and quality of life that allow women to continue doing the things they love. Community helps make that journey sustainable. It reminds women that they're not navigating these changes alone and that investing in their health is something worth prioritizing at every stage of life."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"b3f408a79232","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"4bab537114b20","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"Chief Members: Head to "},{"_key":"4bab537114b21","_type":"span","marks":["b0c851e78442","em"],"text":"the Chief app"},{"_key":"4bab537114b22","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":" to discover your exclusive PVOLVE perk."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"b0c851e78442","_type":"link","href":"https://members.chief.com/"}],"style":"normal"}],"supportingContent":null,"_rawEditorialCategory":{"_id":"71ee14c3-8926-418e-97e0-2e738cd11cac","_type":"category","_rev":"kuh6IZ2IntHupgeCe7EXM5","_createdAt":"2025-10-09T14:09:34Z","_updatedAt":"2025-10-26T18:20:40Z","description":"Discover strategies for supporting women's health in the workplace, from managing burnout to navigating fertility and menopause.\n","hideFromNav":false,"seo":{"_type":"seoFields","seoDescription":"From mental health and burnout to fertility and menopause, discover how leaders and organizations can support women’s health and wellbeing in the workplace with insights from Chief.\n","seoMetaTitle":"Chief | Women's Health & Wellbeing - Women's Mental Health at Work"},"slug":{"_type":"slug","current":"health-wellbeing"},"title":"Health & Wellbeing","id":"-d974e953-201b-5fdb-bf81-e47d7c0a9574","children":[],"parent":null},"article_related_series":null},"next":{"title":"The Landlord Economy: Why Most AI Strategies Are Just Expensive Rent","article":{"title":"The Landlord Economy: Why Most AI Strategies Are Just Expensive Rent","description":"Most AI strategies are just expensive rent. 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That swing is the headline, not the signal. The signal is quieter: The most patient capital in the world has already decided who will own the infrastructure, before the rest of us can even see the walls."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"2593c4c91c24","_type":"link","href":"https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/spacex-erases-post-ipo-gains-152135762.html"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"e95b7d34c44d","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"665db479bf2a0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Consider the chess pieces moving right now. Anthropic is targeting "},{"_key":"665db479bf2a1","_type":"span","marks":["bce974b6cc9a"],"text":"a near-trillion-dollar valuation"},{"_key":"665db479bf2a2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":". Alphabet recently raised "},{"_key":"665db479bf2a3","_type":"span","marks":["a65c070642ee"],"text":"$85 billion in equity"},{"_key":"665db479bf2a4","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" to fund its "},{"_key":"665db479bf2a5","_type":"span","marks":["279d1f75515e"],"text":"AI"},{"_key":"665db479bf2a6","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" compute infrastructure — with Berkshire Hathaway anchoring $10 billion of it. Even through the post-IPO sell-off, SpaceX continues to cement its position as the ultimate landlord of an outer infrastructure economy."}],"markDefs":[{"_key":"bce974b6cc9a","_type":"link","href":"https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/01/tech/anthropic-ipo-filing"},{"_key":"a65c070642ee","_type":"link","href":"https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/03/alphabets-record-breaking-85b-raise-for-googles-ai-business-is-a-helluva-good-signal/"},{"_key":"279d1f75515e","_type":"link","href":"https://chief.com/category/ai-the-future-of-work"}],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"958b86cc1084","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"adeb725957710","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Read all this as a speculative frenzy and you will draw exactly the wrong conclusion. Look instead at "},{"_key":"adeb725957711","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"who"},{"_key":"adeb725957712","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" is moving, and "},{"_key":"adeb725957713","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"why"},{"_key":"adeb725957714","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"03a5ffcb1662","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"c1d211903bed0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Berkshire Hathaway does not chase momentum. Under Greg Abel, its discipline remains unchanged: buy infrastructure once the survivors are obvious and cheap. So when Berkshire commits $10 billion to anchor an equity raise earmarked for AI infrastructure "},{"_key":"c1d211903bed1","_type":"span","marks":["em"],"text":"during"},{"_key":"c1d211903bed2","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" the buildout rather than after it, it isn't enthusiasm. It is a judgement. The most patient capital in the world has concluded the winners are already identifiable, and it’s willing to break a decades-old aversion to tech to back them."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"dabe576e6103","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"6a43d3e80a440","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"While many still like to create headlines of red numbers and talk bubbles, the signal says infrastructure consolidation, financed by the people who fund railroads, not features."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"bda8b42fd2cd","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"5239c9a04fb80","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"The Macro Reality: Landlords and Tenants"}],"markDefs":[],"style":"heading2"},{"_key":"e1f624401a96","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"62b48d3208d30","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"At the macro level, this new economy is binary: You are either the landlord writing the lease or the tenant paying whatever the landlord decides to charge."}],"markDefs":[],"style":"normal"},{"_key":"a11f1acdc9ac","_type":"block","children":[{"_key":"a2a3e6c693480","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Most leaders assume they sit safely in a third category. 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