"Muscle is the secret sauce to a longer and stronger existence"

I love hearing stories of how people learned to get and stay active — and journalist and author

Anne Marie Chaker

has a killer one, which she discusses in her new book LIFT: How Women Can Reclaim Their Power and Transform Their Lives and shared with me yesterday during our fascinating conversation on Substack Live.

Among other things, we explored:

• How a rock-bottom moment at age 45 — and a chance encounter with a fellow mom in a hotel gym — introduced Chaker to the world of competitive bodybuilding

• How a key to building strength and a better relationship with her body was learning to eat more (way more)

• Why it’s never too late to start strength training

• The fascinating history of women and strength — from the Neolithic and Paleolithic eras all the way to the all-women’s gym started in the 1800s by Yellow Wallpaper author Charlotte Perkins Gilman

• The many benefits of lifting weights beyond physical strength

You can listen to or watch the whole interview in a browser or your Substack app, or listen to the audio in your favorite podcast player (instructions here). I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

Thank you, Anne Marie!

xo
Anna