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Strategic Aging: Protein, Strength Training & the Perils of Sugar

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We used to think aging was just about slowing down. Now, we know better. Aging well is strategic. It’s about knowing what your body needs most in this season of life—and making small, sustainable shifts that support your energy, strength, and overall wellbeing.

Three of the most powerful levers you can pull?
Protein. Strength Training. And saying “no thanks” to excess sugar.

Here’s why these matter more than ever—and how to start applying them today.

1. Protein: Fuel for Muscle, Bone & Brain

As we age, we naturally lose muscle mass—a process called sarcopenia. But this isn’t inevitable. With enough quality protein and strength-based movement, we can slow or even reverse that loss.

Why protein matters now:

  • Supports muscle repair and lean tissue maintenance
  • Aids in bone health and density
  • Helps manage hunger and blood sugar
  • Supports brain function and energy levels

💡 What to do:
 Aim for 20–30g of protein per meal, especially at breakfast (which is often the most overlooked). Include lean meats, eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, legumes, or plant-based protein powders.

2. Strength Training: Your Anti-Aging Superpower

Forget the myth that cardio is king. While walking and movement are vital, strength training is what truly keeps you capable, mobile, and independent as you age.

Benefits of strength training after 40:

  • Improves balance, posture, and bone density
  • Preserves muscle and joint health
  • Enhances metabolism and insulin sensitivity
  • Boosts confidence, energy, and resilience

💪 At Flostate, our mindful strength classes are designed for longevity—not extremes. Whether you’re new to lifting weights or returning after time away, we make it approachable, safe, and effective.

🗓️ Check out our strength classes at https://theflostate.com/on-demand/

3. Sugar: The Quiet Saboteur

We all know sugar isn’t great for us—but its effects go beyond weight. Excess sugar can fuel inflammation, accelerate aging, and mess with hormones, brain health, and mood.

Too much sugar can:

  • Disrupt sleep and energy
  • Trigger joint pain and inflammation
  • Increase risk of type 2 diabetes and cognitive decline
  • Decrease skin elasticity and collagen production

🍬 What to do:
 You don’t need to cut it all out—but try to limit added sugars, especially in processed foods, sweetened yogurts, and beverages. Focus on whole, satisfying meals that stabilize your blood sugar.

Start Where You Are. Build from There.

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to aging well—but strategy matters. Small shifts in how you eat and move can lead to more energy, less pain, better sleep, and a greater sense of control over your health.

You’re not too late. You’re not behind. This is your time to move with purpose and support your body in a way that actually works.

🌿 Want help getting started? Join us for a class or reach out—we’re here to help you feel stronger, steadier, and more at home in your body.

📬 Let’s connect. Email us at info@theflostate.com
🧘‍♀️ Explore classes at https://theflostate.com/on-demand/

Daily Mobility Flow for Desk Workers

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If you spend long hours sitting at a desk, you’re not alone. Over time, this stillness can lead to stiff hips, rounded shoulders, and aching backs—not to mention a lack of energy. The good news? A few intentional minutes of daily movement can go a long way in restoring mobility, posture, and your sense of well-being.

This short sequence is designed specifically for desk-bound bodies. You don’t need any equipment—just a bit of floor space, a countertop, and your breath. See corresponding images below!

Cat-Cow (Spinal Flexion & Extension) – 1 minute

This gentle flow is like a wake-up call for your spine.

  • Start on hands and knees in a tabletop position.
  • Inhale: Arch your back, lifting your head and tailbone (Cow).
  • Exhale: Round your spine, tucking chin and pelvis (Cat).
  • Move with your breath for 8–10 slow, nourishing rounds.
  • Option: Externally rotate your hands to point to  your knees for added forearm stretch

Thoracic Rotations – 1 minute (30 seconds per side)

Unlock tightness in your mid-back and shoulders.

  • Stay in your tabletop position.
  • Place one hand behind your head.
  • Rotate your upper body open, pointing your elbow toward the ceiling.
  • Slowly return and repeat 5–8 times, then switch sides.

World’s Greatest Stretch – 30–60 seconds per side

A full-body stretch that hits your hips, spine, hamstrings, and shoulders all at once.

  • Step into a deep lunge with both hands on the floor inside your front foot.
  • Option to drop your back knee down for support.
  • Bring your inside elbow toward the ground, then rotate and reach that arm to the sky.
  • Hold and breathe for 30–60 seconds, then switch sides.

90/90 Hip Switches – 30 seconds per side

Wake up your hips and improve internal/external rotation.

  • Sit on the floor with both knees bent at 90° angles and hands behind you.
  • With a tall spine, rotate both legs to the one side, then the other.
  • Repeat the switch 6–8 times per side.

Deep Squat Hold – 1 minute

An incredible posture reset that opens up the hips, ankles, and spine.

  • Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
  • Sink down into a deep squat, keeping heels flat.
  • Press your elbows into your knees to gently open your hips.
  • Option to reach one arm up to open the chest.

Superman Stretch with Push up – 3-5 times

Improves posture and strengthens posterior chain of the body

  • Start in push up position
  • Lower body to the ground with a straight and strong body
  • Extend arms long into “superman” form
  • Return hands under shoulders and push up to starting position

Deep Hip Stretch with Spinal Rotation – 4 times total (2 per side)

Releases spinal tension, mobilizes shoulders and stretches low back and hip complex.

  • Widen feet and sink into deep squat with hands on thighs. 
  • Leaning forward, press hands into thighs as you press one shoulder downward and you rotate the other upward. Look past your top shoulder.
  • Exhale on the twist and contract your abs gently.

Finish With a Few Deep Breaths

Pause for a few moments. Stand tall or rest in Child’s Pose.
Take 3 deep, slow breaths—and notice how much more awake and open your body feels.

Consistency is key 

Doing this simple sequence daily—or even a few times a week—can improve mobility, reduce tension, and help you reconnect with your body. You don’t need to overhaul your schedule. Just pause, move, and breathe.

Your desk-bound body will thank you.

Mindful Strength: Moving with Purpose in Your 50s, 60s, and Beyond

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If your workouts in your 20 were about sweat and your 30s were about juggling everything, your 50s and 60s might be asking a new question: How do I move to feel strong, capable and energized for the long haul?

You’re not chasing six-packs for personal records anymore. You’re chasing vitality – ease in your joints, confidence in your step and the ability to keep doing what you love for decades to come.

This is where mindful strength comes in.

What is Mindful Strength?

Mindful strength training is about building functional strength – not for performance but for life. It means moving intentionally, listening to your body, and focusing on the muscles and movements that support your daily activities:

  • Lifting groceries with ease
  • Getting up and down from the floor
  • Keeping balance on a walk or hike
  • Feeling steady and strong as you move through your day

It’s strength that feels good and does good – for your bones, your posture, your mood and your future.

Why it matters more than ever after 50

Aging isn’t something to fight, it’s something to move with. But that movement has to be smart. Here’s why strength training is essential in midlife and beyond:

  • Preserves bone density to reduct the risk of fractures
  • Improves balance and coordination to help prevent falls
  • Boosts metabolism and supports joint health
  • Supports independence by keeping everyday tasks easier
  • Lifts mood and combats brain fog with better blood flow and energy

The key? Doing it consistently and doing it in a way the supports your body rather than punishing it.

What Mindful Strength looks like at Flostate

At Flostate Yoga + Fitness, our strength classes are designed with purpose. We’re not shouting over music or pushing people to exhaustion. We’re teaching strength that meets you where you are – whether you are rebuilding after an injury, returning after time away or simply ready to feel stronger and more connected to your body.
Here is what to expect.

  • Functional movements that mimic real-life tasks (like squatting, reaching and carrying)
  • Mindful pacing with plenty of cues, options and breath awareness
  • Balanced workouts that build strength without burnout
  • Supportive coaching that encourages progress without pressure

Ready to Build Strength That Serves You?

We’d love to help you get started. Check out our strength classes (virtual and in-person) and on-demand Daily Lift Program. Find it all right here on our website.

Have questions? Let’s chat. You can sign up for a free 30 minute consultation with Alice or Rachel. We’ll help you find the right fit for your body and your goals. Or email us at info@theflostate.com.

How Evening Movement Can Transform Your Sleep

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Ever crawl into bed exhausted—only to find your brain buzzing, your body tense, and sleep just out of reach?

You’re not alone.

Between hormone shifts, daily demands, and the mental noise we carry from sunrise to sundown, many women in midlife and beyond are tired but wired at night. And when this becomes a pattern, it affects everything: your mood, energy, focus, and long-term health.

Here’s the good news: there’s a surprisingly simple tool that can help you reset your sleep, calm your nervous system, and fall asleep more easily.

It’s not a supplement or screen detox. It’s movement. But not just any movement.

The Right Kind of Movement Before Bed

Gentle, intentional movement in the evening helps tell your body: It’s safe to rest now.

When we slow down with purpose—stretching, breathing deeply, and reconnecting with ourselves—we activate the parasympathetic nervous system (a.k.a. rest and digest mode). This signals the body to release tension and transition into a calmer, sleep-ready state.

The best part? You don’t need to commit to an hour-long routine or leave your house. Even 10–20 minutes of slow movement can make a difference.

What Evening Movement Might Look Like

Here are a few simple practices you can try tonight:

  • Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose – Relieves tired legs and gently calms the body (need image)
  • Seated Forward Fold – Soothes the spine and quiets the mind (need image)
  • Gentle Supine Twists – Releases tension in the lower back (need Image)
  • Box Breathing – Inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4. Repeat.
  • Six-Minute Body Scan – Lay down, breathe slowly, and mentally relax each part of your body, head to toe. Listen to this 6 min guided Yoga Nidra Meditation.

Let it be simple. Let it feel good. Let it be just enough.

Make It a Ritual, Not a Rule

This isn’t about perfection or adding more to your to-do list. It’s about offering your body a small act of care before sleep.

Think of it as an evening exhale—a way to transition from the noise of the day into a quieter, softer space.

Ready to Unwind with Us?

At Flostate Yoga + Fitness, we offer yoga classes with special stretch and release focus areas such as:

These classes can help to downshift your nervous system and support deeper rest. Whether you join in person or from your living room, the goal is the same: to help you reset and feel more like yourself again.

Explore our yoga stretch & restorative offerings here → The Flostate

Have questions? We’d love to help you find the right fit. Contact us at info@theflostate.com 

Here’s to better sleep, calmer nights, and mornings that feel a little lighter.

The Surprising Link Between Barefoot Movement and Better Health

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Did you know that the health of your feet directly impacts your ankles, knees, hips—and even your brain? It’s true. Most of us don’t think about our feet unless they hurt, but they’re the foundation of everything we do.

Let’s Start with a Quick Reality Check:

Take your shoes off and just look at your feet.

  • Are your toes squeezed together or spaced out?
  • Do they point straight forward or angle inward?
  • Does the shape of your foot match the shape of your shoe?

If the answer is no, don’t worry—you’re not alone. Most modern shoes squeeze the toes, weaken foot muscles, and dull the foot’s natural ability to feel and respond to the ground.

This can lead to a cascade of issues: plantar fasciitis, hamstring problems, nerve irritation, overpronation, sciatica, labral tears, and even instability and poor balance.

Strong Feet = A Healthier Brain and Body

Daily walking is one of the simplest, most effective ways to improve your health and extend your health span—your ability to do what you want, when you want, without your body holding you back.

Here’s what the research says:

  • 3,800 steps/day: linked to a 25% lower risk of dementia
  • 9,800 steps/day: cuts dementia risk by 50% (Harvard, JAMA)
  • 10,700 steps/day: reduces risk of type 2 diabetes by 44% (Healthline)
  • 6,000–9,000 steps/day: lowers cardiovascular disease risk by up to 50% (AHA)

Pain and stiffness can make us walk less, which directly reduces our longevity and vitality. That’s why muscle maintenance and joint mobility—including in your feet—are so critical.

Want Healthier Feet? Start Here.

Try this mini foot mobility check-in:

  • Keeping the ball of the foot down, lift just the big toe.
  • Then try lifting all the toes.
  • Now try spreading them apart.

How did it go?

Many of us are shocked to discover we’ve lost basic control of our toes. When I tried this, my right big toe couldn’t lift independently—on the same side where I’ve had hamstring issues. Related? Maybe.

How to Strengthen Your Feet

Start with less shoe time. Let your feet feel the ground. Try walking barefoot in your yard, on the beach, or doing yoga without socks. Choose shoes with:

  • Minimal cushion
  • Wide toe boxes
  • Flexible soles (brands like Vivobarefoot are a great place to start)

Note: If you’re switching to barefoot-style shoes, go slowly! Begin with just ½ to 1 mile and build up gradually to avoid injury.

Easy Toe Strengthening Exercises:

  • Four-Toe Pulldown: Place a thick resistance band under the ball of the foot and pull down with the four smaller toes. Repeat 8 times x 4 sets.
  • Big Toe Pulldown: Same motion, isolating just the big toe.
  • Pinkie Toe Pulldown: Bonus round!

Support Your Mobility Practice

Tight calves, stiff hips, and cranky joints limit your movement and your foot’s ability to function. Complement your footwork with:

  • Yoga Restore + Foam Roller Classes
    Browse our on-demand library for hundreds of classes that support joint mobility, fascia health, and nervous system recovery.

Special offer:
Rent the class “Yoga Restore and Foam Roller: Lower Body” for $0 until June 15.
Use promo code: HAPPYFEET5 (Regular rental cost: $20)

Ready to Move Better, Live Better?

You’re always welcome at Flostate. Join our online and in-person community with flexible options:

Join us on Social Media!

The Flostate | PO Box 251155, Woodbury, MN 55125 | info@theflostate.com | 651-412-1778