Self-care looks different for me than it used to. In my 20s, I thought the ultimate grown-up drink was wine. In my 30s, it was coffee. Now in my 40s, it’s water – with minerals. (Don’t worry, coffee, I still love you too.)
A few other things have changed, too. My teens tuck me in now, I eat protein like it’s my part-time job, and I throw on a weighted vest at least once a day – because nothing says thriving like walking around in something that looks like tactical gear.
You’ve probably noticed that weighted vests are everywhere lately, and you might be wondering if they’re truly a game changer or just a gimmick. After logging hundreds of miles in one (actually two), I’m here to tell you they’ve earned a permanent spot in my weird-but-wonderful wellness toolkit.
If you care about maintaining muscle mass, bone strength, core strength and stability in the years ahead, you should seriously consider adding it to yours, too.
I’ll explain why below, but first a quick reminder: None of these statements have been evaluated by the FDA, this article is not medical advice, and it’s not meant to diagnose or treat any condition. Now let’s dive in.
From Special Forces to Sidewalks
In The Comfort Crisis, Michael Easter highlights rucking – walking with a weighted backpack called a rucksack – as one of the simplest, most effective ways to build both physical and mental resilience. It’s not some trendy fitness fad – it’s a foundational part of training for Army Special Forces, who rely on it to build real-world strength, endurance, and grit.
These days, that same training concept is making its way from special forces to the sidewalk, as more people discover the powerful benefits of adding weight to everyday movement.
Weighted vests, sometimes called ruck vests, are designed to deliver the same benefits as rucksacks while distributing the weight more evenly across your torso for better comfort and mobility. They come in several forms, from low-profile vests that resemble fishing gear to rugged options that look like tactical armor. Some have pockets that let you add or remove weight to match your training goals, while others come pre-loaded and ready to go right out of the box.
Hormones, Muscle Loss & The Case for Carrying Weight
Before we dive into the benefits of weighted vests, let’s talk about why so many women – especially in perimenopause and beyond – are training like the elite.
They’re rewriting the old script that says midlife = fragility. Instead, they’re committed to staying strong, steady, and capable in the years ahead.
What’s fueling the surge in strength training among midlife women? A deeper understanding of what hormones really do.
Estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone aren’t just about reproduction – they’re key players in nearly every system of the body. Estrogen alone acts as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, regenerator, and regulator. (1)(2)(3) When hormone levels decline, as they naturally do in perimenopause and menopause, the effects can ripple through nearly every aspect of health.
We’re talking about a loss of bone density, shrinking muscle mass, and joints that aren’t quite as stable – plus a higher risk of pain, fractures, and frozen shoulder. And that’s only the beginning.
These hormonal shifts also impact how we metabolize glucose (sugar) and lipids (fats), setting the stage for metabolic syndrome – a cluster of issues that raises the risk for cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and other chronic conditions. (4)(5)
One hallmark of metabolic syndrome is an increase in abdominal visceral fat. Unlike brown fat, which burns energy to help regulate temperature, visceral fat works against us: it reduces insulin sensitivity and disrupts healthy lipid metabolism, both of which raise the risk for inflammation, blood sugar dysregulation, and heart disease. (4)(6)(7)
The good news is that these changes aren’t a foregone conclusion. Nutrition and regular movement – especially the kind that builds and preserves muscle – can help us counteract the metabolic shifts of midlife and stay strong from the inside out. (4)
Why Weighted Vests Are Worth Their Weight
Wearing a weighted vest can take familiar workouts – like walking or bodyweight exercises – and make them more effective, helping build the strength and stability we need to stay strong, steady, and ready for whatever life throws our way.
By adding just a little extra resistance, you increase the intensity of movement, raising your heart rate, burning more calories, and giving your muscles and bones a reason to adapt and grow stronger with every step.
It’s also incredibly versatile and easy to scale. If you don’t have a consistent exercise routine, simply walking a few hours a week with a weighted vest can significantly boost calorie burn compared to walking without weight – without feeling like you’re “working out.”
At the same time, if you already have a solid fitness routine, you can use a weighted vest to level up your strength work, increase training density, or add load to bodyweight movements like lunges, push-ups, or squats.
Here are some of the most research-backed benefits:
#1: Muscle Mass = Metabolic Gold
Why preserving muscle matters more than ever in midlife
Earlier, I mentioned how hormonal shifts in midlife can disrupt metabolic health. Now let’s dig deeper into why muscle is such a big piece of that puzzle – and what we can do about it.
We naturally begin losing muscle mass around age 30 – about 3–8% per decade – and that loss typically accelerates during perimenopause and menopause as estrogen levels decline. (1) But this isn’t just about strength. Skeletal muscle plays a central role in how our bodies regulate blood sugar and fat.
When we lose muscle, we also lose one of our biggest allies in metabolic health. Muscle acts like a sponge for sugar in your bloodstream, soaking it up and storing it for energy. As muscle mass decreases, our ability to manage blood glucose weakens, which can lead to insulin resistance, weight gain, and eventually, conditions like metabolic syndrome.
In fact, studies tracking women through menopause show that even without changes in diet or exercise, declining estrogen is linked to higher fasting glucose, increased visceral fat, and reduced insulin sensitivity. (8)(9) And since muscle is also involved in lipid metabolism, losing it can throw off our cholesterol levels, increase inflammation, and make it harder to maintain a healthy body composition.
The good news? Resistance training – including rucking or walking with a weighted vest – can help reverse that trend.
In one study, women who performed lower-body strength training while wearing weighted vests three times a week for nine months showed increased lean body mass, improved muscle strength and power, and better lateral stability – a big deal when it comes to preventing falls as we age. (10)
Another small study suggests that simply adding weight loading may help the body metabolize fat more efficiently, giving your metabolism an extra edge. (11)
In other words: what we carry now can change how we carry ourselves for decades to come.
#2: Building Bone Like You Mean It
The overlooked role of strength in skeletal health
Muscle loss isn’t just a strength issue – it’s a bone health issue, too.
Muscles and bones work as a team. Every time a muscle contracts, it tugs on the bone it’s attached to, creating the kind of healthy stress that signals the body to maintain and rebuild bone tissue. But when we lose muscle, as often happens during perimenopause and beyond, that pulling force weakens – and with it, the stimulus to keep our bones strong. (12)
In other words, less muscle means less bone-building activity, which helps explain why bone loss tends to accelerate during the same years that muscle mass declines.
Estrogen also stimulates bone-building osteoblasts, so as levels drop we can’t take for granted that our bones will stay naturally strong without effort.
Bottom line: Without enough resistance – either from muscle contractions or external forces like gravity – bone tissue gradually breaks down faster than it’s rebuilt.
That’s where weighted vests come in.
Gravity keeps our bones strong – take it away, and they quickly thin out. Astronauts in microgravity lose 1–1.5% of bone density per month, the equivalent of years’ worth of aging, because their skeletons aren’t being stressed by weight-bearing forces. (13)
On Earth, walking or exercising with added weight offers the opposite benefit. Each step with a weighted vest increases impact on your skeleton, prompting osteoblasts, the bone-building cells, to reinforce and rebuild bone tissue.
In a landmark 5-year study with postmenopausal women (average age 64) combined jumping exercise with a weighted vest three times a week. The vest group maintained hip bone density, while a control group lost around 4%–5% at several hip sites. (14)
Also, in a randomized controlled trial, postmenopausal women exercised three times per week while wearing weighted vests that were progressively loaded up to 15% of their body weight. After 12 weeks, they showed a 14.5% decrease in NTx, a marker of bone resorption, indicating lower bone breakdown. They also gained 40% in ankle strength and increased fat-free mass compared to controls. (15)
#3: Strong & Steady for Life
Balance, posture, and everyday resilience
We already know that doing lower-body strength training with a weighted vest boosts lean muscle and builds strength – so it’s no surprise it also helps with balance, core stability, and overall functional strength.
In twenty-something athletes, studies have shown enhanced performance in both resistance and explosive movements, such as the bench press, pushups, and power cleans, when weighted vests are added to traditional strength routines. (16)(17)
But the benefits go well beyond younger athletes:
- In one randomized controlled trial, postmenopausal women with osteoporosis walked on a treadmill while wearing a weighted vest (30 minutes, three times per week, for six weeks). Both groups improved bone turnover markers, but only the vest‐wearers showed meaningful gains in balance – a key factor in reducing fall risk.(18)
- Additional research highlights that wearing a weighted vest during whole-body resistance work – like squats and jumping circuits – can significantly increase lower-body strength (16–33%) in postmenopausal women over nine months. (19)
On the core strength and posture front, carrying weight across your torso requires those muscles to constantly stabilize your spine during movement. This enhanced demand leads to improved core strength, posture, and coordination over time. (20)
#4: Cardio Gains = Oxygen Efficiency
Boosting endurance and heart health with simple resistance
Training with a weighted vest was shown to raise blood lactate thresholds in runners – a key indicator of endurance capacity and aerobic fitness (aka oxygen efficiency). (21)
Weights used in training ranged from 5% to 40% of body weight. Heavier loads helped improve sprint speed, while lighter ones were more effective for longer-distance workouts.
My Experience
This year, two of my three kids are dual-enrolled in college and high school (from home). I love spending time with them (and my husband and pre-teen), so taking advantage of the time we all have together is a big priority.
At the same time, I’m looking at the season ahead . . . knowing that I want to feel strong, resilient, and excited to get up each day.
For me, rucking has become a way to savor the present with family (and sometimes friends) while also preparing for the future. I ruck each morning on a solo walk that helps me mentally sort priorities for the day, then in the evening I take a longer walk – usually with my husband, daughter, or sons (or some combination of that).
Some mornings I’ll sprint on my own – or challenge my boys to a race on our evening walk. I usually wrap up with a few squats.
Here’s what I’ve come to love most about it…
- It’s a workout that doesn’t feel like working out.
- I get to be outside in nature – often catching the sunset – instead of standing under the fluorescent lights of a gym
- It makes a great social or solo activity. When I’m not walking with my family or a friend, I listen to the birds sing or soak up an audiobook – one I completed last spring is The Comfort Crisis, which I mentioned earlier in this article.
- I can vary the intensity of each session just by changing my speed and the session time
- The vest I use is very comfortable, and has a calming effect on me that is similar to a weighted blanket.
Getting Started (Without Overdoing It)
One of the best things about weighted vests is that almost anyone can use them, regardless of fitness level. Here are some general tips for getting started:
- Choose Your Starting Weight – Most experts recommend with starting with no more than 5-10% of your body weight. One study found that wearing a vest equal to 10% of body weight burned significantly more calories than walking without added weight or with 5%.(22) Most studies use 10% as the maximum weight, although there is one that used 15%. (23)
- Give Your Muscles Time To Adapt – If you’re walking daily, start small. Keep it short at first, then increase your time or pace as your body adjusts. Make sure to pay attention to your posture so that your core muscles are properly activated.
- Work Up Slowly – Once that starting weight feels comfortable for a couple of weeks, you can gradually increase it. Just listen to your body and make adjustments as needed.(20)
- Mix It Up – Once you feel comfortable maintaining good posture while walking, consider adding in squats, jump training, etc. while continuing to pay attention to form.
Who should not use weighted vests?
- According to Sarah Wherry, PhD, assistant professor of geriatrics at the CU School of Medicine., people with arthritis or problems with their spine or joints should go extra slow, “clearing the training with a healthcare provider first and stopping if vest-wear exacerbates any symptoms,” (20)
- Individuals with severe osteoporosis, chronic back pain, knee problems, or balance issues should also talk to a provider before slipping on a weighted vest.
Weighted Vest Recommendations
There are two main types of vests: fixed-weight and adjustable. Fixed-weight vests come with a set amount of weight built in, while adjustable vests have removable inserts that let you customize the load based on your goals or energy levels. Ideally, I prefer vests that are adjustable in weight so that I can increase the amount every few months.
However, many of the adjustable ones are not very “boob friendly,” aka they squish the chest area . . . and the ones that don’t are generally pricey.
Because I wasn’t sure if I would even like rucking, I decided to go with this fixed weight vest that was highly rated for comfort and slightly less than 10% of my body weight. It had a slight chemical smell when it arrived, but I didn’t notice it when I walked outside in the fresh air.
After a few weeks, I felt ready to increase my load, so I wrapped some ankle weights onto the vest to experiment with different weights and figure out what to order next. I decided on one that’s between 10-15% of my body weight.
The lighter one still gets regular use – the weight ratio is appropriate for my teens to use, and I also slip it on when I want to do a high-intensity workout with a lower load.
Eventually, I’ll invest in a weighted vest that is washable, comfortable, and adjustable in weight . . . but that product doesn’t exist just yet. For now, here are my top recommendations:
Zelus Fixed Weight Vest – I have this model in two weights. It’s comfortable, easy to slip on, and distributes weight evenly.
Zelus Adjustable Weight Vest – I seriously considered this one, which appears to be more chest-friendly than other option. In the end, though, I preferred the other design because I thought it would allow for better airflow when I walk on hot days.
Thanks for reading! If you try a weighted vest, let me know how it goes.
Sources
- Ko, E., & Kim, J. (2023). Menopause‑Associated Lipid Metabolic Disorders and Foods Beneficial for Postmenopausal Women. Nutrients
- Nilsen, J. (2021). Estrogen’s Neuroprotective and Antioxidant Effects in the Brain. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience
- Harding, A & Heaton, N (2022). Estrogen as an Antioxidant, Anti‑Inflammatory, Regenerator, and Regulator in Women.
- Carr, M. C., & Mendelsohn, M. E. (20XX). Menopause‑Associated Changes in Visceral Fat and Metabolic Risk Factors. Journal of the American Heart Association
- Carr, M. (2003) The Emergence of the Metabolic Syndrome with Menopause The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism
- de Aloysio D., Gambacciani M., Meschia M., et al. (1999). The effect of menopause on blood lipid and lipoprotein levels. Atherosclerosis
- Fukami K., Koike K., Hirota K., et. al (1995). Perimenopausal changes in serum lipids and lipoproteins: a 7‑year longitudinal study. Maturitas
- Bermingham K.M. et al. (2022). Menopause is associated with postprandial metabolism, metabolic health and lifestyle: The ZOE PREDICT study. EBioMedicine
- Nappi, R.E., Chedraui, P., Lambrinoudaki, I., Simoncini, T., et al. (2022). Menopause: a cardiometabolic transition. The Lancet: Diabetes & Endocrinology
- Taaffe, D. R., Robinson, T. L., Snow, C. M., Marcus, R., & Champion, A. (1997). Muscle strength, function, and physical activity are maintained with a weighted vest during lower body resistance training in elderly women. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity
- Sugita, M., Sato, K., Mori, Y., Miura, T., & Kawaguchi, T. (2020). Effects of weighted vest training on body composition and blood lipid metabolism in obese adults: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Physical Therapy Science
- Smith AL, Johnson PR, Lee HJ, et al. (2018). Muscle-Bone Crosstalk: Mechanical Load-Induced Osteogenesis Mediated by Muscle Contraction. Biomolecules
- NASA. (n.d.). Risk of spaceflight-induced bone changes
- Taaffe DR, Snow CM, Robinson TL, Marcus R, Champion A. (2000). Long-term benefits of weighted-vest training on bone mineral density in postmenopausal women: A five-year randomized controlled trial. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research
- Taaffe DR, Slack J, Roy B, Ladouceur M. (2007). Effects of exercise training with weighted vests on bone turnover and isokinetic strength in postmenopausal women. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity
- Hermann, M., Engelke, K. et al. (2020). Interactions between Muscle and Bone—Where Physics Meets Biology. Biomolecules
- Marriner, C. R., Cronin, J. B., Macadam, P., & Storey, A. (2017). Redistributing load using wearable resistance during power clean training improves athletic performance. European Journal of Sport Science
- Roghani T, Torkaman G, Movasseghe S, Hedayati M, Goosheh B, et al. (2013). Effects of short‑term aerobic exercise with and without external loading on bone metabolism and balance in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. Rheumatology International
- Park WY, Kim J, Lee H, et al. (2019). Weighted vest training improves muscle strength and functional performance in postmenopausal women: a randomized controlled trial. Progress in Applied Arts & Health
- University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. (2023). Is this vest worth its weight in fitness returns?
- Parkes, S., & Caplan, N. (2019). Weighted vest training improves blood lactate threshold in distance runners. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
- Park, S. Y., Kim, H., Kwon, H., et al. (2019). Effect of a 10% body weight weighted vest on energy expenditure during walking. Journal of Physical Activity and Health
- Taaffe DR, Slack J, Roy B, Ladouceur M. (2007). Effects of exercise training with weighted vests on bone turnover and isokinetic strength in postmenopausal women. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity
