Despite Being Super Active & Eating Clean, I Got This Surprising Diagnosis
For years, I believed I had my health all figured out. I was a recreational triathlete, newly obsessed with tennis, following what I thought was the healthiest diet possible—vegan, plant-based, clean. I was active, disciplined, and confident that my lifestyle choices were protecting my entire body from head to toe.
I felt invincible. After all, isn't that what we're told? Eat your vegetables, stay active, and your body will reward you. I thought I was checking all the boxes.
Something was seriously wrong
At 38, I developed what doctors called "frozen shoulder"—a condition where your shoulder becomes increasingly stiff and painful, with severely limited range of motion. At first, I brushed it off as an overuse injury from training. But when it didn't improve, my doctor ordered a diagnostic scan.
That scan revealed something I never expected: I had osteopenia, the precursor to osteoporosis, and something often not diagnosed until past the age of 50.
Frozen shoulder and bone loss might seem unrelated, but may be connected through the same underlying cause: hormonal changes during perimenopause1.
Here’s a connection I hadn’t realized: As estrogen levels begin to fluctuate and decline during perimenopause (which can start in your late 30s or early 40s) it affects far more than just your reproductive system. Estrogen plays a crucial role in maintaining bone density and joint health. When it drops, the tissues around your joints lose flexibility, joint lubrication decreases, and bone loss accelerates.
My frozen shoulder was likely an early warning sign that my body was entering perimenopause—and my bones were already paying the price.
I was shocked. Osteopenia? That was something that happened to older women, not someone in their late 30s who ran marathons and did triathlons. But there it was, in black and white: my bones were losing density, and if I didn't do something about it, I was heading straight toward osteoporosis.
I didn't understand how serious this was
At first, I underestimated what this diagnosis meant. The doctor mentioned it almost in passing, and I walked away thinking it was just something to keep an eye on.
But then I started digging into the research, and what I found terrified me.
One in two women over 50 will experience an osteoporosis-related fracture in their lifetime. That's a staggering statistic, higher than the combined risk of heart attack, stroke, and breast cancer. And these aren't minor injuries. Hip fractures alone carry a 20% mortality risk within the first year, and many who survive end up requiring long-term care, losing their independence entirely.
Suddenly, this wasn't just about having "weak bones." This was about my future mobility, my independence, my life.
And I was already starting down that path at 38, more than a decade earlier than most women receive this diagnosis.
Learning how to help myself
The standard medical advice was that I start medication, mainly in the form of bisphosphonates. But I wanted to understand if there was another way first, if I could improve my bone density through lifestyle changes before taking that route.
I became obsessed with learning everything I could about bone health. I read research papers, listened to podcasts, and sought out experts like Vonda Wright, M.D., and Jocelyn Widstein, M.D., who specialized in women's bone health and perimenopause.
What I discovered was both empowering and frustrating: bone density peaks around age 25, then gradually declines—and that decline accelerates dramatically during menopause.
But the good news? Bones are living tissue. They respond to stress and load. Weight-bearing exercise, particularly strength training, could actually signal my body to build bone.
That's when I discovered two game-changing activities: lifting heavy weights and rucking.
Rucking (walking with a weighted vest or backpack) might sound simple, but the research behind it2 is compelling. The added weight creates the kind of mechanical stress that tells your bones, "We need to get stronger."
I started with a lightweight and gradually increased it. I combined rucking with a dedicated strength training program, focusing on compound movements like squats, deadlifts, and overhead presses—exercises that load the skeleton and stimulate bone growth.
But exercise was only part of the equation. I also had to rethink my diet.
My vegan diet, while rich in plants, was lacking in several key nutrients critical for bone health—particularly protein and bioavailable calcium. I transitioned to a pescatarian diet, adding fish and seafood to ensure I was getting adequate protein (which is essential for bone matrix formation) and more easily absorbed forms of calcium.
What I wish more women knew
Here's what I want every woman to understand: bone health impacts you much younger than you think.
We've been conditioned to believe that osteoporosis is an "old person's disease." But the truth is, bone density peaks in your mid-20s. After that, it's a slow decline unless you take action.
If you're in your 20s or 30s, now is the time to build your bone bank. Strength training, impact exercise, and proper nutrition. These aren't just for later in life. They're investments in your future mobility and independence.
And if you're like me—already past peak bone density and facing a diagnosis—it's not too late.
Educate yourself on the statistics. Understand your risk factors. Look at your family history. Get a DEXA scan.
One of the most important lessons I've learned: consistency matters more than intensity when it comes to building bone. Bones change slowly. There's no quick fix. You can't do a 30-day challenge and expect miraculous results. But show up at least three times a week, lift progressively heavier weights, load your skeleton through rucking or jumping, nourish your body with the nutrients it needs. Over months and years, you'll see real change.
Hard work pays off
Just recently, I had a DEXA scan at BodySpec that showed I've achieved nearly a 3% increase in bone density over four years.
I'm not fully out of the osteopenia range yet, but I'm moving in the right direction through consistent effort and lifestyle changes. One of the most powerful shifts for me was my mindset, not letting the diagnosis define me or my future, and knowing that I just have to keep at it.
What started as a personal quest to save my bones has evolved into a global community I’ve cultivated, of primarily women who ruck together, share our stories, and support each other through the ups and downs of midlife.
And now, I've even launched my own company creating weighted vests specifically designed for women's bodies called YVO, because I’m a firm believer the tools we use to build our strength should fit us properly and empower us to show up consistently.
Hard work pays off, and your bones will thank you.