My guest this week had a childhood nickname: Muscles. She wasn't the smallest kid on the block, but she could always outrun the boys and knock a softball clean out of the park. Somewhere along the way, that name got buried — and stayed that way for decades. Mary Ellen Loranger is a 56-year-old entrepreneur, author, and wellness leader who's spent the past eight years, alongside her husband Wayne, coaching thousands of women through nutrition, health, and lifestyle transformation. A former Ironman athlete, she's spent the last few years building Midlife Strong®, a strength training and mindset platform for women navigating midlife and menopause. I work with a lot of health coaches one-on-one, and right now they're going through a massive shift inside their industry because of GLP-1 medications — the wave of drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. I think it's an incredible opportunity for entrepreneurs, you included, to understand how to pivot when the market changes on you. That's exactly what's happening with Mary Ellen — she's had no choice but to pivot her own business right along with it. In this episode, we get into what that shift means for muscle, for metabolic health, and for anyone whose industry is changing under them. This one isn't just for people who care about fitness. It's for any woman in midlife who's been told to shrink back, slow down, or settle, and for any entrepreneur trying to figure out what to do when the ground shifts under their business. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN Why Mary Ellen's childhood nickname, "Muscles," disappeared for decades, and what finally brought it back to the surface What the GLP-1 boom is doing to muscle mass, and why protein and strength training matter more now than they used to The misconception about building muscle after 40 or 50 that the research says just isn't true What a "progressive overload" strength training program actually looks like, and how to start with nothing but a couple of dumbbells The simple three-part protocol Mary Ellen gives every client, whether they're on a GLP-1 or not Why she and her husband just invested in a gym instead of keeping all their eggs in one basket SPECIAL GIFT FROM MARY ELLEN As her gift to Girlfriends, Mary Ellen is offering half of a four-week, customized progressive overload strength training plan through her Midlife Strong® app, for home or gym, at any level, for $25. She's also offering $50 off any nutrition plan — fat loss, calorie deficit, optimization, or GLP-1 nutrition plans. Get started → https://www.midlifestrongbyme.com/ CONNECT WITH MARY ELLEN Website: https://www.midlifestrongbyme.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/m.e._in_midlife/ ABOUT MARY ELLEN LORANGER Mary Ellen Loranger is a 56-year-old entrepreneur, author, and wellness leader dedicated to helping women thrive in midlife. Alongside her husband, Wayne, she has spent the past eight years coaching thousands of people in nutrition, health, and lifestyle transformation while building a nationwide team of health coaches. A former endurance athlete who completed multiple Ironman competitions, she now focuses on strength training and empowering women to build muscle, confidence, and resilience. She founded Midlife Strong®, a platform that supports women navigating midlife and menopause through nutrition, strength training, and mindset coaching. Mary Ellen is also the bestselling author of Win Today: A Jersey Girl's Guide to Living Your Best Life and Called to More: Stepping Boldly into God's Purpose in Midlife – A 30-Day Devotional. Through her work, she encourages women to see midlife not as a slowdown, but as an opportunity to step into strength, purpose, and possibility. READY TO STOP SHRINKING BACK IN YOUR BUSINESS? This episode might have you thinking about where you've been shrinking back in your own business instead of stepping into strength. If so, let's talk about it. As my gift to Girlfriends, I offer a 30-minute discovery call. We'll talk about where you are right now and what might be getting in the way. Book here: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=13047670&appointmentType=2244195 FREE GIFT FROM SARAH Get Sarah's Freedom Calculator and discover how much your business needs to make to finally be free. Download at https://sarahwalton.com/freedom LEARN FROM SARAH Explore Sarah's online courses and free resources to start building your business with confidence. Online Courses: https://sarahwalton.com/online-courses Free Resources: https://sarahwalton.com/free-resources CONNECT WITH SARAH: Website: https://sarahwalton.com/podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSarahWalton Instagram: https://instagram.com/thesarahwalton ABOUT SARAH WALTON Sarah Walton is a wealth consciousness coach, strategic advisor, podcast host, and mentor who helps women entrepreneurs build businesses they love. Her mission is simple: to put more money in the hands of more women. She's the creator of the Abundance Academy, The Art of Receiving, and the Game On Girlfriend® podcast. Sarah teaches authentic, heart-centered business strategies because when women have more financial power, they don't just keep it — they use it to take care of their families, support their communities, and build something bigger than themselves. RELATED GAME ON GIRLFRIEND® EPISODES YOU'LL LOVE: Episode 301: From 40 Guitar Students to Two Thriving Businesses: How Rachel Lipson Built Multiple Income Streams Without Burning Out — the entrepreneurial side of what Mary Ellen and Wayne are doing with their new gym — https://sarahwalton.com/how-she-built-two-businesses-without-quitting/ Episode 335: When Your Labs Say You're Fine and Your Body Disagrees, with Katie Hardie — the same shift away from a single number that Mary Ellen describes in her own coaching — https://sarahwalton.com/holistic-health-women-entrepreneurs/ Episode 205: Myth Busting: Fall Prevention and Aging with Joy Fletcher — the exact argument Mary Ellen makes about strength training and longevity — https://sarahwalton.com/senior-fall-prevention/ LOVE THE SHOW? LEAVE US A REVIEW! Thank you so much for listening. I'm honored that you're here, and I'd be grateful if you could leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts by clicking here, scrolling to the bottom, and clicking "Write a review." Your reviews help other women entrepreneurs find the show and get the support they need to build businesses they love. Thank you for being part of the Game On Girlfriend® community! (If you're not sure how to leave a review, you can watch this quick tutorial.)
