In this episode, Joanne connects several conversations that are often discussed separately — facial fat loss, muscle loss, grip strength, hormones, and rapid weight loss — and explains why they’re all part of the same biological picture in midlife.
Rather than treating these changes as isolated or cosmetic issues, this episode explores what’s really happening underneath: estrogen decline, rising myostatin, changes in muscle quality, and the body’s response to its environment.
Joanne also addresses recent criticism around rapid weight loss and explains why context, duration, and intention matter far more than the label.
In this episode, we cover:
Facial fat & muscle loss


Why facial fat loss accelerates with age — even without weight loss


How estrogen protects facial fat, skin thickness, and structural support


Why rapid weight loss can amplify facial aging when muscle isn’t preserved


The role of muscle tone and connective tissue in facial appearance


Why facial fat doesn’t always return proportionally with weight regain


Grip strength as a health marker


Why grip strength is one of the strongest predictors of aging, independence, and longevity


How grip strength reflects total-body muscle health, not just hands


The role of fast-twitch muscle fibers and why they disappear first with age


How rising myostatin makes muscle harder to maintain in midlife


Why estrogen loss worsens muscle breakdown and neuromuscular efficiency


Why grip strength often declines before visible muscle loss


The shared biology: estrogen & myostatin


How estrogen suppresses myostatin and supports muscle preservation


Why midlife changes create a more catabolic environment


How muscle loss, facial aging, and strength decline are biologically linked



Rapid weight loss — and why context matters
Joanne responds to criticism she received online for discussing rapid weight loss while also running Peak Week – the 5-Day Shred.
She explains:


Why prolonged restriction is the real problem — not short, strategic interventions


Why Peak Week is five days only, by design


That people don’t join Peak Week just to lose weight


People come to Peak Week to:


Reset habits


Re-establish structure and momentum


Get back “in the groove”


Experience the energy and accountability of a focused group


And yes — to see results that are guaranteed


Weight loss is not the only reason Peak Week works — it’s simply a predictable outcome when the body is placed in the right environment.

Why Peak Week works — every time
Joanne explains why Peak Week has such a high repeat rate:


Nearly everyone comes back again and again


Not because it’s extreme — but because it’s effective, structured, and supportive


During Peak Week:


There are 4 coaching calls in 6 days


Topics go far beyond weight loss


It’s an opportunity for Joanne to coach in real time, not just deliver a plan


She shares a real example:
A woman who had been eating well and training consistently — without losing a single pound — joined Peak Week and lost 10 pounds.
Not because her body was “broken,” but because it finally experienced the right environment.
Most people aren’t failing.
They’re just not in an environment that allows their body to respond.

Final takeaway
Midlife results — whether that’s fat loss, muscle preservation, facial aging, or strength — aren’t about willpower.
They’re about biology, hormones, and environment.
Create the right environment, and the body responds.
Every time.

🔔 Call to Action
Peak Week – The 5-Day Shred
Starts January 12
👉 www.5dayshred.com

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