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Noelle Tarr, NTP, CPT

@coconutsandkettlebells

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Helping women 30+ feel good & do more
Strength • Resilience • Holistic health
Steward this life well.✨
A week of easy dinners ↓

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In your 30s, you have an incredible window of opportunity to shape how you’re going to show up in future decades.

What you do right now doesn’t just influence how you feel tomorrow, it categorically changes who you’ll be at 70.

I didn’t fully realize this until I turned 33, but the shifts I chose to make after that changed my health and how I feel now at 40. Crazy enough, it had nothing to do with hacks, special protocols, or fancy supplements (although, I do love my creatine!). Instead, I focused on filtering out what wasn’t serving me, and doing the basics REALLY well.

And the cool thing is, I feel better now in midlife than I ever have before.

This is the time. It’s time to stop trying to change or fix people, and let go of resentment.

It’s time to build muscle, eat breakfast, and up your protein intake.

It’s time to filter out what’s keeping you distracted and overwhelmed, and lean into the real friends who are there for you.

And most importantly, it’s time FOR A WALK.

Women in your 40s—what would you add? Share below!
🤍🤍🤍 by @coconutsandkettlebells

Give me strong, sexy bones and all of that functional independence! 🤩

While the world is set on telling you to focus on getting rid of cellulite, exercise is so much more that that. Studies show strength training may improve balance, preserve bone density, independence, and vitality, and reduces the risk of numerous chronic diseases as we age.

Making decisions for the health and longevity of your body can completely change your mindset, and best of all… IT WORKS.

Gimme a ❤️ or a 👏🏻 if you agree.⁠

#strengthtraining #health #fitness #personaltrainer #movement #nsca #nscatrainer #strengthandconditioning #healthcoach #normalizenormalbodies #womenwholift #strongwomen by @coconutsandkettlebells

Muscle loss doesn’t happen overnight. It happens while you’re busy doing nothing about it.

And as muscle declines, you lose a whole lot more than your strength. Muscle plays a critical role in your metabolism, blood sugar regulation, bone density, brain health, and overall resilience.

It’s what allows you to carry your groceries, get up off the floor, recover from injuries, and keep doing the things you love for decades to come.

But here’s the cool part. You don’t actually have to accept getting weaker as a part of getting older.

Your muscles are incredibly adaptable, even in your 70s, 80s, and 90s. Research consistently shows that women can build strength and muscle well into their later years.

But you have to give your muscles a reason to stick around.

You don’t need to spend hours in the gym or complicated workout split. And you definitely don’t need to overhaul your entire life.

Start with strength training 2–3 times a week. Challenge your muscles. Gradually increase the weight as you get stronger. Stay consistent.

Getting older is inevitable. Getting weaker doesn’t have to be. And the best time to do something about it is right now.💛

Need help? I’m working on a 20-Minute Workout Challenge! It’s going to be a free 4-week guide + workout plan to help women 30+ build muscle. Comment GUIDE to grab it when it launches!🚀 by @coconutsandkettlebells

174% STRONGER. In just eight weeks. At 90 years old.

Back in 1990, researchers at Tufts University wanted to find out whether people in their 90s could still build muscle and get stronger.

So they recruited 10 frail nursing home residents, many of whom had significant physical limitations, and had them lift weights 3x a week.

And the results were incredible.

Of the nine participants who completed the program:

- Leg strength increased by an average of 174%
- Walking speed improved by 48%
- Thigh muscle area increased by 9%

Meaning they weren’t just getting stronger. They were actually building muscle mass.

These results are life changing. Improvements in leg strength and muscle can have a profound impact on everything from cognitive function and chronic disease, to mobility, fall risk, and independence.

Think about what that actually means.

The muscle you build in your 30s, 40s, and 50s is an investment in what your body will be capable of decades from now.

And if you’re already in your 60s, 70s, or beyond? You still have the potential to transform your quality of life, health, strength, and resilience by doing the basics.

You don’t age out of strength training. You age into needing it even more.

It’s never too late. Not even close!💛

Comment GUIDE to get my FREE 20-Minute Workout Challenge I’m sending out after the holidays. I’ll send you the workouts, programming, and we’ll do it together. by @coconutsandkettlebells

Women are being told their bloodwork is fine while they’re exhausted, freezing cold, losing hair, and struggling to get through the day.

And far too often, ferritin is being overlooked.

Two important things to note here.

First, a ferritin of 15 is not fine. It’s not a “wait and see” situation. In fact, research has linked ferritin levels below 50 to significant fatigue.

Your symptoms are a sign, and they shouldn’t be brushed off. Just because something is “normal” doesn’t mean it’s optimal.

Here are the functional ranges:

* Ferritin: 50–140 ng/mL
* Serum iron: 70–130 µg/dL
* Iron saturation: 25–50%
* TIBC: 250–350 µg/dL
* Hemoglobin: 13.5–15 g/dL

Second, ferritin doesn’t tell the whole story.

If ferritin is high but other iron markers are low, that doesn’t necessarily mean you have plenty of stored iron. Ferritin is an acute-phase reactant, which means it can rise during inflammation, infection, or illness.

This is why ferritin should be interpreted alongside the rest of your iron panel, especially when inflammation is present.

And here’s what I really want women to understand: Low ferritin isn’t always just about eating more iron.

You have to look at how much iron you’re getting, how much you’re actually absorbing, and how much you’re losing. For many women, several factors are working against them at once.

You deserve more than being told your labs are “normal” when you know something isn’t right.

Comment VITAMINC for the whole food vitamin C I love and recommend! Take 1 capsule with each meal, 3x a day.💛💛 by @coconutsandkettlebells

It’s so easy to get caught up in the newest trend, the complex protocols, or the supplement everyone’s talking about this week. But most of the time, what actually moves the needle is the simple stuff you do consistently.

Eating before your coffee helps keep your blood sugar steadier so you’re not crashing by 10am.

Carbs around your workouts fuel your training and recovery.

Protein at every meal protects your muscle, which matters even MORE as we get older.

Water and fiber keep your digestion, energy, and hunger cues on track.

Easy meals at home take the pressure off.

And magnesium before bed helps your body and brain actually wind down so you get deeper, more restful sleep.

None of this is flashy or seems like a big deal on their own, but stacked together, day after day, these little habits add up to more energy, better sleep, and a body that feels supported instead of stressed.

You don’t need to do all of them perfectly. Pick one or two that feel doable and start there. 💛

Comment MAG and I’ll send you the magnesium + L-theanine supplement I take every night! by @coconutsandkettlebells

Easy, uncomplicated protein from real food. Save this for when you’re out of ideas but still want to maintain that muscles.

100g of protein mapped out:

🥚 2 eggs - 12g 🥣 1 cup Greek yogurt - 23g 🧀 2 oz cheese - 14g 🍗 5 oz chicken breast - 44g 🫘 ½ cup black beans - 8g 💚 2 tbsp pistachios - 3g

New research shows your protein needs INCREASE as you age. This is because muscle protein synthesis—or, the process by which your body builds muscles from the protein you eat—starts to decline.

In fact, women in midlife need 10-15g more protein per meal to maintain muscle than younger adults!

Muscle isn’t just your strength. It influences bone density, insulin sensitivity, and your metabolism! If you’re in perimenopause, muscle is your missing piece.

Need more ideas? Comment PROTEIN and I’ll send you my free protein hacks guide & meal plan! I answer a ton of questions and share visuals. YOU GOT THIS! by @coconutsandkettlebells

If you haven’t heard the news, leg day is better for your body and brain than any supplement.

And the research on this is pretty incredible.

We tend to think about strong legs in terms of squats, lunges, and how much weight we can lift. But leg strength is about so much more than muscle.

It’s about being able to get off the floor, climb stairs, carry groceries, and move through your day without needing help. And increasingly, research suggests that stronger legs may also play an important role in how well your brain ages.

A fascinating study followed 324 female twins for 10 years and found that women with greater leg power at the beginning experienced less cognitive decline over the following decade.

Even more interesting? Brain scans taken years later linked stronger legs with greater gray matter volume!

Keep squatting. Keep lunging. Keep challenging your muscles.

Every time you do, you’re making a deposit towards independence in the decades ahead.

Not sure where to start? I’ll be launching a FREE 20-Minute Workout Challenge after the holidays. I’ll send you the workouts, programming, and we’ll do it together. Comment GUIDE to get my email when it launches. by @coconutsandkettlebells

40 years of trial and error, and these are the things I know for sure.🤍

If you’re overwhelmed right now, comment GUIDE to get my 20-minute Workout Challenge when I launch it to my email list. Working on it right now! It’s a totally free 4-week strength challenge and I’ll be with you through it. by @coconutsandkettlebells

I love this time of year for dialing things in and making shifts. There’s no “new year, new me” pressure, the weather is great, and the consistent schedule makes it easier to experiment with what actually works for you.

You don’t have to overhaul your life to make meaningful progress. A few things done consistently can change a lot.

Pick what feels doable and start there.💛

Comment CREATINE if you want a link to the creatine I take daily. by @coconutsandkettlebells

If you want to change how you age, start by changing how much muscle you carry.

Muscle is great if you want to feel strong. But the part most people miss? Your muscle is one of the most important tissues for managing glucose.

Think of it like a metabolic sink. Your muscles pull sugar out of your blood and use it for energy, helping keep your blood sugar stable, energy steady, and cravings in check.

And that has a HUGE impact on how you age.

Starting in your 30s, you naturally begin to lose muscle mass, especially if you are inactive. And as muscle mass and physical activity decline, you become more insulin resistant.

That means your body has a harder time managing blood sugar, which can contribute to chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and metabolic dysfunction over time.

But here’s the good news: You can change this trajectory.

Research consistently shows that strength training improves insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism, even in older adults. And the downstream effects here go way beyond blood sugar. Strength training is linked to everything from better skin elasticity and cognitive function to less chronic inflammation as you age.

It’s not just about body composition. It’s about creating a body that’s metabolically healthier, stronger, and more resilient as you age.

And 9 times out of 10, when I meet a woman and think, WOW, she looks energized, vibrant, and healthy, she’s moving her body and strength training regularly.

That, or it’s a facelift. 😆

Need help? I’m working on a 20-Minute Workout Challenge! It’s going to be a free 4-week guide + workout plan to help women 30+ build muscle. Comment GUIDE to grab it when it launches!! by @coconutsandkettlebells

Today’s health tip: let someone else figure it out for once.

Somewhere along the way, we decided that EVERYTHING needed to be done RIGHT NOW. Yes, deadlines have to be met, dinner has to be made, and the kids have to get to practice. But not everything is an emergency, and not everything needs to fall on your shoulders.

When you’re constantly rushing from one thing to the next, mentally juggling 47 things, and feeling like you can’t relax until it’s ALL done, your body feels that pressure, too.

Your nervous system needs opportunities to recover throughout the day, not just when you finally collapse into bed.

So, slow things down a little. Stop rushing everyday tasks. Sit down and actually chew your food. Take a few short breaths before you move on to the next task. Take a walk without turning it into a workout. Say no before you’re at your limit. Do less on purpose.

These little shifts create margin in your day, giving your body and nervous system more opportunities to shift out of fight-or-flight mode and recover.

And this isn’t just about feeling stressed in the moment. Living in this state 24/7 directly impacts cortisol regulation, blood sugar, inflammation, iron metabolism, and progesterone. Over time, that can influence everything from your energy and recovery to your menstrual cycle and overall metabolic health.

You can be a woman who gets things done without making every single thing an emergency.

So, leave the ER stuff to the people who actually signed up for it. And if you’re one of those people, THANK YOU for what you do.😆❤️

Need some help? Comment DINNER for my 5 easy weeknight dinners. They’re fast and easy and the whole family will love them. I got you! by @coconutsandkettlebells