I saw a woman in mirrored sunglasses and a vest angrily stomping down the street and from a distance, I swear, I thought: Is it ICE coming for my neighbors or is it a perimenopausal woman?
There actually is a decent amount of research showing fat folks have a lower risk of osteoporosis than thin people so… I say yes, we’re already doing this fitness trend!
I was actually going to include that, but the research was a little more complex than I had time to fully dig into! And of course so many layers of the typical medical establishment anti-fat bias to weed through. But it’s worth an addendum!
Yeah, it's darkly comic to think about how the same people fear-mongering about how carrying "extra" weight could affect your joints if you're fat are also selling thin people weighted vests....
I appreciate this question. It feels like forever, someone carrying extra weight has often been told to lose weight for health reasons (easier load on the heart, for example).... and now people are intentionally wearing extra weight. I've wondered the same thing.
literally writing a freelance piece about this exact thing. i was going to run a separate piece on my own substack titled: "perimenopausal women don't need weighted vests." they need actual strength training. and also better societal and systemic support. but that's a whole other conversation.
I’ve been rucking for years, and people like Michael Easter break it down in a very straightforward kind of way (he addresses women and walking with weight about a third of the way down).
Outside that, regular walks with weight enabled me to spend 2 weeks in Europe last month while handling 40 pounds of backpacks and assisting my teenager in a wheelchair. It was not easy, but it was sustainable thanks to throwing on a pack with some weight in it on the regular.
Thank you so much for pulling the threads on these fads—and I will say (anecdotally) that we just started a weighted walking club at my studio and the people really like it.
And if they like it, it’s not hurting anyone, and it brings people together, to move more, outdoors…I’m cool with it. And seriously…I am a very evidence based, skeptical of trends, anti-bias fitness coach—-and it drives me insane that “I like it and it’s fun” can’t be enough of a reason.
Yes! Exactly! That’s totally enough of a reason. I definitely don’t want to dissuade anyone from that. (It sounds really fun tbh!) But I do want to dissuade influencers from preying on our perimenopausal anxieties to get affiliate commissions!
Yes to both!! I ended up getting one as I love to workout outside and find it just added spice to my workouts. I also use it to strength train outside bc it was an easier way to add weight without loading my trunk up.
Don’t get us wrong — we like& use weighted vests. Great for hands free strength training and an added challenge for walks! This post was great to remind people to think for themselves and hopefully not get too sucked into the wellness industries that cycle through. It’s great that peri/memo is getting a look lately, but that also opens the door for it to become an industry and ya just have to keep your wits about you.
Advertised to women as they approach menopause!!!?. exactly the time women ( if not dosed up and sedated on anti depressants and HRT ) can truly find their power . This power has been written about for centuries and celebrated throughout history. The same power that has been viciously suppressed by the patriarchal society as they push their petroleum poison our way. And now a Weighted Vest to weigh us down !!! Oh please whatever next? 🤦🏻♀️🤡
I'm a small woman, "petite" if you must (I prefer "Tiny and Mighty"), from a long line of small women all of whom suffered the ravages of osteoporosis that started in their 50s. To avoid this genetic hell, I do wear a weighted pack and incorporate full-body exercises as I go about my happiness-- hiking, farm chores, gardening. So far, I'm the first woman in my cursed lineage to reach my 50s and have zero loss of bone density.
However, I am a career outdoors woman and have carried a pack for work (field ecology) and/or life (kid packing and gear hauling) for many decades. I'm also not walking around the 'hood, I'm hiking up steep mountains (and down) with lots of stopping and taking the pack off and putting it back on (using both sides of my body to intentionally maintain balanced strength and bone density) as well as countless weighted squats as I drop to look at plants, rocks etc. And I just pack 30-45 lbs, depending on how I feel or the heat.
For me it works. For me it's just adding a little weight to my every day happiness to maintain healthy mobility. I also really like being strong. It's a power.
If I had to go to one of those mirror-filled sweat boxes and listen to folks grunt over blasting AC/DC (my admittedly limited gym experience) to attain strength and bone density, my crushed soul may just join the legions of pain-addled, crippled women who came before me.
Loads of people love the gym and I love it for them. It's just not for me.
I was actually considering buying one to wear while walking because I struggle to motivate to do any concentrated weight training. It seems, though, that it really isn’t a replacement for resistance training, huh? Perhaps I’ll just stick with swimming laps with my 5 year old on my back… Great read! Thanks.
I really appreciate your breakdown on this! And have to say, I love my weighted vest because it makes walking feel more work out-y, like the hills by our house are HARD with it on and I feel like I’m really sweating by the time I get home (I’m also a bit of a work out nut). Like Megan said - it makes walking fun, which is a fantastic reason!
Agh! Thank you Anna! You just somehow read my mind and addressed all my anxiety and questions about these vests and the nebulous “studies". So glad I have more details now!
Jokes aside, I loved this reminder. It’s a helpful frame for any fitness or aging trend (read: there’s $$$ involved, and the basic building blocks of good health will almost always win over fads)
Thank you!! I’ve heard from a lot of people who really love theirs, and I think we can have it both ways — we can enjoy gimmicks that make exercise more interesting, fun, or motivating, AND we can question who benefits the most from gimmicks and trends.
I have a weighted vest, I bought into the hype last year and wore it dutifully on walks. And then my husband went to get his PT certification and has been researching how to rehab my knees. He said the weighted vest is a terrible idea if you’re dealing with knee and other joint issues, which is very common in perimenopausal women. And it makes sense… we’re adding pressure to those joints. It’s so easy to get sucked in by someone with a large following, possibly a Dr in their handle and an under $50 buy that will arrive next day.
I like them because they make walking harder and I find them more comfortable than walking with backpack in preparation for hiking season. Definitely not a replacement for weight training.
I do get very frustrated with all the doctors shilling products like this for perimenopause. Same for the selling of supplements. There was one doctor talking about a research paper that linked fiber with improved cognition. I looked up the study and it was extremely loosely interpreted by her. Plus there are actual great reasons to get enough fiber. Focus on those!
Weighted vests are *great*. I'm a mountain climber and for me they're essential in training, because I need to be able to, basically, walk and climb up steep things while carrying weight.
That said, they're also great for just about anyone looking to increase lower body strength (note I emphasize lower, because that's going to be the focus unless you're wearing your vest for push-ups, planks, etc.). It is an easy way to make a simple walk harder. Vests do not - DO NOT - replace weight and resistance training for women, and they are not going to be better at building bone for obvious biomechanical reasons. If you have to choose, choose full-body weight training. Remember that bone is built by both impact and pull-push training. *You do not need a vest to assist with perimenopause/menopause-related bone loss* - it is a nice addition to your exercise arsenal.
My advice if you're gonna vest up: avoid the affiliate-linked 5-pound cute pink vests popping up in your algorithm and go for the basic vests. You are probably going to want to go up in weight over time (I started at 12 pounds and am at 35-40 now), so don't overspend, or make an arrangement with some friends to trade around.
I love wearing them because I can feel them activate my abs and glutes BUT it is NOT a substitute for intense weight training, which all women need! Also my (military) husband walks with his tactical vest or does ruck walks frequently so it is amusing to see this become so feminine. His vest is very heavy so I can’t wear it comfortably and purchased my own! I also don’t have social media so didn’t even know it was a trend until after I got one!
I saw a woman in mirrored sunglasses and a vest angrily stomping down the street and from a distance, I swear, I thought: Is it ICE coming for my neighbors or is it a perimenopausal woman?
Oh my gosh OH MY GOSH 😂 ☠️ 🙊
Honestly, that sounds super sinister!
I'm fat. I do the equivalent of wearing a weighted vest every day. Does it make my bones stronger? 🤷♀️
There actually is a decent amount of research showing fat folks have a lower risk of osteoporosis than thin people so… I say yes, we’re already doing this fitness trend!
I was actually going to include that, but the research was a little more complex than I had time to fully dig into! And of course so many layers of the typical medical establishment anti-fat bias to weed through. But it’s worth an addendum!
Yeah, it's darkly comic to think about how the same people fear-mongering about how carrying "extra" weight could affect your joints if you're fat are also selling thin people weighted vests....
Yes it’s classified as an “obesity paradox” finding which is… such an annoying anti-fat framing. 🙄
I mean, despise.
I appreciate this question. It feels like forever, someone carrying extra weight has often been told to lose weight for health reasons (easier load on the heart, for example).... and now people are intentionally wearing extra weight. I've wondered the same thing.
Removing this comment as it does not adhere to my reply rules.
literally writing a freelance piece about this exact thing. i was going to run a separate piece on my own substack titled: "perimenopausal women don't need weighted vests." they need actual strength training. and also better societal and systemic support. but that's a whole other conversation.
I’ve been rucking for years, and people like Michael Easter break it down in a very straightforward kind of way (he addresses women and walking with weight about a third of the way down).
https://www.twopct.com/p/rucking-101-9b3
Outside that, regular walks with weight enabled me to spend 2 weeks in Europe last month while handling 40 pounds of backpacks and assisting my teenager in a wheelchair. It was not easy, but it was sustainable thanks to throwing on a pack with some weight in it on the regular.
Thank you so much for pulling the threads on these fads—and I will say (anecdotally) that we just started a weighted walking club at my studio and the people really like it.
And if they like it, it’s not hurting anyone, and it brings people together, to move more, outdoors…I’m cool with it. And seriously…I am a very evidence based, skeptical of trends, anti-bias fitness coach—-and it drives me insane that “I like it and it’s fun” can’t be enough of a reason.
Yes! Exactly! That’s totally enough of a reason. I definitely don’t want to dissuade anyone from that. (It sounds really fun tbh!) But I do want to dissuade influencers from preying on our perimenopausal anxieties to get affiliate commissions!
Yes to both!! I ended up getting one as I love to workout outside and find it just added spice to my workouts. I also use it to strength train outside bc it was an easier way to add weight without loading my trunk up.
I enjoy it but love the balance of perspective.
Don’t get us wrong — we like& use weighted vests. Great for hands free strength training and an added challenge for walks! This post was great to remind people to think for themselves and hopefully not get too sucked into the wellness industries that cycle through. It’s great that peri/memo is getting a look lately, but that also opens the door for it to become an industry and ya just have to keep your wits about you.
Anyone see the irony of the weighted vest being sold as a means of improvement while literally WEIGHING WOMEN DOWN??
😳
Advertised to women as they approach menopause!!!?. exactly the time women ( if not dosed up and sedated on anti depressants and HRT ) can truly find their power . This power has been written about for centuries and celebrated throughout history. The same power that has been viciously suppressed by the patriarchal society as they push their petroleum poison our way. And now a Weighted Vest to weigh us down !!! Oh please whatever next? 🤦🏻♀️🤡
I'm a small woman, "petite" if you must (I prefer "Tiny and Mighty"), from a long line of small women all of whom suffered the ravages of osteoporosis that started in their 50s. To avoid this genetic hell, I do wear a weighted pack and incorporate full-body exercises as I go about my happiness-- hiking, farm chores, gardening. So far, I'm the first woman in my cursed lineage to reach my 50s and have zero loss of bone density.
However, I am a career outdoors woman and have carried a pack for work (field ecology) and/or life (kid packing and gear hauling) for many decades. I'm also not walking around the 'hood, I'm hiking up steep mountains (and down) with lots of stopping and taking the pack off and putting it back on (using both sides of my body to intentionally maintain balanced strength and bone density) as well as countless weighted squats as I drop to look at plants, rocks etc. And I just pack 30-45 lbs, depending on how I feel or the heat.
For me it works. For me it's just adding a little weight to my every day happiness to maintain healthy mobility. I also really like being strong. It's a power.
If I had to go to one of those mirror-filled sweat boxes and listen to folks grunt over blasting AC/DC (my admittedly limited gym experience) to attain strength and bone density, my crushed soul may just join the legions of pain-addled, crippled women who came before me.
Loads of people love the gym and I love it for them. It's just not for me.
I was actually considering buying one to wear while walking because I struggle to motivate to do any concentrated weight training. It seems, though, that it really isn’t a replacement for resistance training, huh? Perhaps I’ll just stick with swimming laps with my 5 year old on my back… Great read! Thanks.
I really appreciate your breakdown on this! And have to say, I love my weighted vest because it makes walking feel more work out-y, like the hills by our house are HARD with it on and I feel like I’m really sweating by the time I get home (I’m also a bit of a work out nut). Like Megan said - it makes walking fun, which is a fantastic reason!
I truly LOVE that. I want to try it!
Agh! Thank you Anna! You just somehow read my mind and addressed all my anxiety and questions about these vests and the nebulous “studies". So glad I have more details now!
Jokes aside, I loved this reminder. It’s a helpful frame for any fitness or aging trend (read: there’s $$$ involved, and the basic building blocks of good health will almost always win over fads)
Thank you!! I’ve heard from a lot of people who really love theirs, and I think we can have it both ways — we can enjoy gimmicks that make exercise more interesting, fun, or motivating, AND we can question who benefits the most from gimmicks and trends.
I have a weighted vest, I bought into the hype last year and wore it dutifully on walks. And then my husband went to get his PT certification and has been researching how to rehab my knees. He said the weighted vest is a terrible idea if you’re dealing with knee and other joint issues, which is very common in perimenopausal women. And it makes sense… we’re adding pressure to those joints. It’s so easy to get sucked in by someone with a large following, possibly a Dr in their handle and an under $50 buy that will arrive next day.
I like them because they make walking harder and I find them more comfortable than walking with backpack in preparation for hiking season. Definitely not a replacement for weight training.
I do get very frustrated with all the doctors shilling products like this for perimenopause. Same for the selling of supplements. There was one doctor talking about a research paper that linked fiber with improved cognition. I looked up the study and it was extremely loosely interpreted by her. Plus there are actual great reasons to get enough fiber. Focus on those!
Weighted vests are *great*. I'm a mountain climber and for me they're essential in training, because I need to be able to, basically, walk and climb up steep things while carrying weight.
That said, they're also great for just about anyone looking to increase lower body strength (note I emphasize lower, because that's going to be the focus unless you're wearing your vest for push-ups, planks, etc.). It is an easy way to make a simple walk harder. Vests do not - DO NOT - replace weight and resistance training for women, and they are not going to be better at building bone for obvious biomechanical reasons. If you have to choose, choose full-body weight training. Remember that bone is built by both impact and pull-push training. *You do not need a vest to assist with perimenopause/menopause-related bone loss* - it is a nice addition to your exercise arsenal.
My advice if you're gonna vest up: avoid the affiliate-linked 5-pound cute pink vests popping up in your algorithm and go for the basic vests. You are probably going to want to go up in weight over time (I started at 12 pounds and am at 35-40 now), so don't overspend, or make an arrangement with some friends to trade around.
I love wearing them because I can feel them activate my abs and glutes BUT it is NOT a substitute for intense weight training, which all women need! Also my (military) husband walks with his tactical vest or does ruck walks frequently so it is amusing to see this become so feminine. His vest is very heavy so I can’t wear it comfortably and purchased my own! I also don’t have social media so didn’t even know it was a trend until after I got one!