STOP Wearing Weighted Vests Until You Watch This…
Millions of women in perimenopause and menopause worry about osteoporosis, bone loss, and hip fractures. Weighted vests are suddenly everywhere on TikTok, Instagram, and even in doctor’s offices. But do they really build bone density for women over 40 and 50, or is resistance training still the most effective way to prevent osteoporosis? In this episode, Chalene breaks down the science, the myths, and the surprising benefits of weighted vests for women navigating perimenopause and menopause. You’ll hear the real research, what actually helps protect your bones, and how to safely use a vest for balance, posture, and strength as you age. With insights from orthopedic surgeon and menopause expert Dr. Vonda Wright, this episode separates fact from hype so you can age powerfully and protect your health.
🚨 Start with a vest that’s 5–10% of your body weight. Closer to 5% if your core is weak, up to 10% if your core and back are strong. 🚨
💥 Related Links:
Petite Weighted Vest:
Normal Weighted Vest:
Get Dr. Vonda Wright’s book Unbreakable 👉
Follow Dr Wright On Instagram 👉
🤓 What You’ll Learn
– Do weighted vests really help bone density in midlife women
– Why impact matters more than passive wear
– Resistance training vs. vests for osteoporosis prevention
– Extra benefits for balance, posture, and calorie burn
– How to pick the right vest and use it safely
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🤓 Watch Next!
▶️ Weights vs Cardio? Most Women Over 40 Get This Wrong! with Dr. Vonda Wright
▶️ Top 7 Exercises That ACTUALLY Changed My Body Over 50
▶️ Why Your Knees Feel Weak (And How to Fix It):
▶️ 14 Health Warning Signs I Missed (Don’t Make My Mistake!):
🧠 Research:
2000 – Snow : Long-term exercise using weighted vests + jumping
2025 – “INVEST in Bone Health” / JAMA Network
2017 – Weighted Vest Use during Dietary Weight Loss on Bone Health in Older Adults with Obesity
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Cameron Long
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🚨Start with a vest that’s 5–10% of your body weight. Closer to 5% if your core is weak, up to 10% if your core and back are strong.
Petite Size Weighted Vest: https://amzn.to/4cl2Lph
Normal Size Weighted Vest: https://amzn.to/3Ykr3dj
I bought a weighted vest after watching your videos. I am 52yo, 60kg and am starting with a 2.5kg one when I started a walking regime 2 months ago. I hardly exercise for the past decades! 😳 I look forward to upgrading the weight once I’m more fit and can get more comfortable with more weight. Thanks for your recommendation girl!
Love this!!
I got an 8 lb weighted vest after watching one of your videos. I go on a one mile walk around my neighborhood with one on, and I have been seeing lots of other women with the same one too! It is really tough too, I notice a big difference! I get tired and if I take my walks without it, I don’t get tired at all.
“I have a PhD in hairspray”. I just adore you. And appreciate all your content and sense of humor
Right?! Chalene is just the perfect mix of fun and educational! She’s one of a kind and I’m always so excited to watch any of her videos 🥰
Excellent doctor summary
I’ve gotten to the point where I think most of these trends are nothing more than that, a trend.
I’m focusing on incorporating good habits while doing chores snd normal life exercises.
Consumerism…I agree
Science is always evolving. As more data is collected the advice will change. I think we can all agree diet, cardio, weightlifting, and mobility are the cornerstones of being healthy. I figure as you learn more about each component then you make changes. When my Grandmother was alive medicine didn’t fully understand diabetes and as a result she had both legs amputated. Now we have a better understanding of diabetes so foot exams are done regularly, low blood sugar targets are pushed, and we have better ways of measuring blood sugars.
Ex-Army female with bad hips here. I need a hip replacement. It was because of rucking and weighted vest. Please let me advise you all with not only years of experience, but many other women who I served with with the same experience and similar injuries from weighted rucks and vests. I’m talking frequently rucking, not a once or twice a month type of activity. Frequent. Men are built different so this is for women specifically and like many things, women are the last subject in studies to be understood. I’m here to shed some light.
Start light and slow. Weight low, slow pace. Increase every other week if you’re able. But you NEED to condition your neck, chest, and hips. Ankles too for some women.
Proper walking shoes are important. Too fully of a back heel will keep you in a forward stance. You want to maintain even balance with arch support.
Posture is EVERYTHING. Stay upright. Head/neck, chest and hips must maintain alignment. If you’re leaning too much forward, you will cause yourself more injuries than bone density problems. Add like 5 problems to your list 😂. I live in level 7 pain everyday and sleep is restricted. If you need to work on your posture before you start adding weights, do it. You need to develop (entire/holistic) core strength. Keep your head forward, chin up. Shoulders back and down. Do not engage them up high because of the weight. That means it’s too heavy for you at this time. Learn to feel it then go for the distance walks.
Keep at a good pace that keeps you centered. By that I mean don’t exaggerate your steps. Try and keep them under you just like proper running stance. Until you’ve strengthened your basics, then add stride. But I personally recommend just quickening your steps.
Injuring yourself with weighted vest is much more of an issue for women than men. Almost all of my female service members have hip issues and more because of it. Please please please use weighted vests responsibility. It is rewarding, but you must do it right.
Yes, posture is super important! Dr Stacey Sims suggests a weighted belt instead of a vest, but they’re not widely available at a decent price.
Thank you for warning everyone, and I am so very sorry that you are in so much pain especially after serving our country. 😩
Have you tried taking type two collagen to help rebuild your joints?
Also DMSO combined with hyaluronic acid is tremendous for relieving pain! My mom recently found out she has bone on bone with her knees, and she is almost pain-free because of this!
I hope things get better for you! 🙏🏻
Oh, and I meant to say that I agree about the weighted vest! I have heard warnings elsewhere, and they just scare me too much to use, so I have decided not to implement them myself even though I have started walking every day since this past summer.
This is excellent information. So valuable thank you for sharing!!!
Thank you for this information and for your service to our country.
Yes, when we’ve been thin for our entire life, our bones are not nearly as strong as women who carry a few extra pounds. It’s one of the downsides of being trim.
Dr. Stacy Sims has pointed out that most weights vested on the market are designed for the male body and not suitable for women. Why? The weight is put on the shoulders and the upper body, whereas we as women, tend to find it more comfortable carrying weight around our hips. I personally find hiking backpacked with a waisted band in addition to shoulder straps much more comfortable.
Chalene, I am a 51 year old woman in perimenopause. Because of your well informed videos, I started walking with a 12 lb weighted vest and let me tell you, this vest has helped me feel stronger in my body and I don’t want to walk without it. A woman just stopped me in the lobby of my building a week ago and asked me about my weighted vest. I went into a full blown infomercial about what a great help it has been. I am a believer in weighted vests. I won’t work out without it. Thank you for the thoughtful research you include in your videos.
I am glad more data is coming out . Stopped using weighted vests over a year ago . The question of weight loss building bone density is complex and its complexity goes beyond just a weighted vest. I thought of getting a weighted belt after Dr Stacy Sims talk about it for women she discussed the origin of weighted vests which can from men whose center of gravity is in the chest while women is in the waist pelvic region so a weighted belt made so much sense for a woman. But holding off until more data comes out on weighted belts. Thanks
That makes total sense.
Maybe I should wear it around my waist.
Here is another prime example of people getting on the bandwagon about something that sounds like a good idea, but in reality turns out to be not so great for some people. I think we should be more cautious about adopting new trends in general. Also, from reading the comments, it seems like people did not watch the video all the way through, because they’re still saying that they love their weighted vest and they’re even going to up the weight or use it more often. Most didn’t mention about being more cautious, or perhaps re-thinking the usage of the vest, or waiting for more research. This doctor’s familiarity with the stats and her recommendations were ignored by a large number of the people making comments here. Thank you, Charlene for continuing to do your due diligence..
I love the fact that you are willing to revisit topics and discuss newly obtained information regardless of if it aligns with what was previously discussed. This is one of the many reasons I watch your videos, because I can trust you! When you learn new information, you are not afraid to share it with your audience. Thank you for being an advocate for women of our age!
I appreciate that! I so appreciate you being here <3
I totally agree. Your energy is awesome. I have been wearing my weighted vest for awhile now. I started with 8lb and I increased to 28lb and realized it was too fast. My husband has adopted the 28lb and I purchased a 12-18lb vest to do a gradual increase. I do think it isn’t for everyone. I think you need to be conscious of good posture and good shoes. I am hoping for improvement.
@@chalenejohnsonI agree about your ability to do additional research on things that have been said as truth and share what else you have found. Chalene…you are a super influencer and excellent at what you do. Thank you so much!😘🩷😊
Yes, I bought a 12 lb weighted vest because of your influence..in fact I’ve bought many things from digestive enzymes and creatine to a walking pad and beach cover ups, the moment you mentioned them . I’m sure you’ve benefited greatly from all those affiliated links…now, I step back and do my own due diligence and insvestigate and think about things before I buy them from anyone’s recommendations, I have so much more money now ❤❤
Good on you. These content creators make so much money off of people.
@@iamblessed3539 they are all grifters.
I’m 63 and Yes i wear a weighted vest every time i walk.. it’s 8lbs. I also lift heavy, hit my protein goals and was diagnosed with osteoporosis!! Since I was diagnosed I have started HRT, and some other suggested supps from my Dr… my next blood work is in October… cross your fingers 😊
Things that I believe helped me. Bioidentical hormone replacement, bone health supplements that include Calcium and K2 and other minerals, rebounding, and weight training.
I respect you are willing to question your own beliefs and are honest about what you learn.
So interesting to do this deep dive. I’ve avoided wearing a weighted vest as I have issues with my shoulders and neck. Yet the idea of a weighted belt now that might be ok for me. You are really the only person who is willing to say “maybe I was wrong”. Thank you for continuing to push for data and information.
Thank you Chalene for this valuable info! I’ll be 57 next week. I started wearing a 10 lb weighted vest consistently for the last 6 months. I just ordered a 12 lb vest which im excited about as im trying to improve my bone density as i have severe osteoporosis. I also do resistance training 5-6 days a week. Im determined to keep getting stronger! ❤
I wore a weighted vest a few years back. I work out all the time and I’m in great shape, I just wanted something different. I wore it just around the house for a little bit every other day. But I was gonna go for walks with that… but after just a few times wearing it I had a horrible burning and my chest down bullet between my rib cage. Turns out I tore a deep inner muscle! In my abdomen took about six months and lots of tests and scans to make sure everything was healing properly. I’ve never been to a hospital or doctor for anything except delivering my child. And mind you, I didn’t know, jumping or crazy stuff. I was just wearing it to see how it was going to make me feel around the house cleaning and such. Honestly, it didn’t even phase that I had it on. My children, or my grandchildren Waymore than discussed, and I carry them around all the time up and downstairs. But I learn my lesson! I gave it to someone else, lol
I’m 45 and I just been diagnosed with osteopenia. I have got myself a weight vest back when I seen your video and some more studies, I like it especially wearing it on my thread mill. I do believe lifting weight is necessary and supplementing also watching macro nutrients and high protein intake ❤
Dr. Stacy Sims says men benefit from a weighted vest. She said women benefit from holding weight in their hands while walking. She said in several videos that women can have Achilles and sciatic problems flare up from wearing weighted vests because of our weight distribution difference from men. That may have already been shared but I wanted to also share. Great video, Chalene. Love you! ❤❤