Stop Making Excuses: Why 15 Minutes Can Actually Build the Muscle That Will Save Your Life
And yes, we get into the whole weighted vests trend that is taking over the meno-sphere.
Are you over fitness advice from 25-year-old gym bros who think women are just "smaller men"?
Confused about whether 15 minutes of exercise actually does anything, or if you need to choose between running and strength training like it's some kind of religious war?
Wondering why every trainer wants to sell you supplements before they've even watched you do a squat?
Yep. We got you.
At Go Long, we know navigating fitness after 40 comes with a maze of bro-science, one-size-fits-all programs, and trainers who learned about women's physiology from... well, nowhere actually. That's why we track down coaches who actually understand that your body isn't broken—it just needs someone who gets what you're going through.
This week, meet Deb Duby, a strength training coach who's been helping real women build real strength for over two decades. She went from corporate burnout to finding her calling after 9/11, and she's made it her mission to prove that you don't need to choose between being a busy mom in the sandwich generation and being strong as hell.
What we love most? Deb doesn't just hand you a cookie-cutter workout—she understands that sometimes the best fitness plan is the one that actually fits your actual life. Plus, she's raising a teenage athlete while breaking generational cycles around body shame, because yes, how we talk about food and bodies with our kids matters more than we think.
NOTE: This episode does not constitute a coach-client relationship of any kind. The topics covered are purely for informational purposes.
About Deb
Debra Duby is a Nationally Certified Personal Trainer and a Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner specializing in exercise science and nutrition. She holds numerous certifications from the National Strength and Conditioning Association, Institute for Integrative Nutrition, American Association of Drugless Practitioners, and Yoga Alliance. Debra is also an accomplished athlete. She has competed in triathlons, long distance cycling events, half-marathons, the New York City Marathon, and natural body building in the World Natural Body Building Federation. With a history of diverse athletic endeavors, she has a wide span of expertise to offer her clients.
Debra graduated from the University of Connecticut with honors, as Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Psychology. Immediately following graduation, she entered the corporate world as a technology recruiter for a top-tier executive recruiting firm in Manhattan. Her career quickly advanced, as she was offered the opportunity to become Vice President for a start-up recruiting firm in New Jersey. Five years later, Debra resigned her post to follow her true passion for exercise and nutrition. She founded Do Be Fit in 2002 and has been dedicated to helping her clients achieve their health goals ever since. Debra lives with her husband and daughter in Nashville.
Paid Substack Members and Micro-Accountability Clients are able to submit questions for these interviews.
Major Topics Covered
Deb’s journey from tech recruiting to strength training highlights the importance of following one's passion.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced many trainers to pivot to online training, which had its own set of challenges and benefits.
Fitting workouts into busy schedules is possible with short, effective routines.
Even 15 minutes of exercise can be beneficial for health.
Strength training is crucial for maintaining muscle mass and overall health as we age.
Finding a qualified trainer is essential, especially for those with specific health concerns.
Weighted vests and rucking can supplement training but should not replace traditional strength training methods.
Building glutes without increasing quad size is possible with targeted exercises.
Promoting a healthy body image in young athletes is vital for their long-term well-being.
Quick Takeaways
Deb: When Deb did in-person training, she didn’t realize that she was creating a dependency on her by setting up her clients’ weights. When COVID hit and Deb started teaching over Zoom, none of her clients had an understanding of how to set themselves up to lift on their own. As a result, not only do her clients set themselves up on their own. They have the confidence to lift while they are on the road because they understand how to get themselves set-up.
Jill: Deb's approach to talking about food with her daughter to prevent generational body image issues was really thoughtful and novel.
Instead of using the typical "good food/bad food" or "treat/cheat/junk" language that most people use, she deliberately chose neutral language - calling it "growing food" and "other food."
"I never used the words treat, cheat, or junk when talking about food. We just said growing food and then other food. So we would just like, did you have enough growing food today? Okay, well, good. So, okay, perfect. So then have that." — Deb Duby
This stemmed from her own childhood experience watching her mother's shame around her body and weight, and Deb's conscious decision to break that generational pattern. She recognized that food shame often leads to body shame, so she tackled it at the root with completely non-judgmental language.
Resources Mentioned During the Show
Learn more about Deb’s Refresh program HERE.
Learn more about Deb’s PRO-TEEN program for, you guessed it, teens HERE.
Join Deb’s upcoming free webinar on Midlife Muscles and Macros on September 10th - more info HERE.
Deb’s daughter, Loretta, making an UH-MAZE-ING play while checking and making sure a spectator was OK:
Deb’s Exercise Library on demand: Strengthlab.TV (free trial period)
Key definitions:
Hypertrophy - muscle growth - learn more here.
Progressive Overload - gradually doing more over time - whether by adding weight, reps, or sets - while training close to failure to ensure an adequate stimulus for muscle growth.
Movements discussed:
The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter
Ways to Connect with Deb
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debra-duby/
Instagram: @debra_duby and @strengthlab.tv
Ways to Connect with Go Long
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Go Long recommends listening to the entire podcast for context, but knows you are all busy people, so below you will see timestamps. This episode is also available on YouTube.
Timestamps
00:00 - Introduction to Accountability Coaching
04:21 - Deb's Journey to Strength Training
07:16 - Adapting to Change: The Impact of COVID-19
14:15 - Building Independence in Fitness
16:38 - Fitting Fitness into a Busy Life
23:50 - Overcoming Brain Fog and Staying Active
26:39 - Balancing Running and Strength Training
31:40 - Nutrition and Fueling for Workouts
34:39 - Full Body vs. Split Workouts
39:55 - The Importance of Changing Workout Routines
42:38 - Progressive Overload in Strength Training
47:38 - The Importance of Strength Training as We Age
52:46 - Starting Strength Training: Overcoming Barriers
01:00:13 - The Role of Weighted Vests and Rucking
01:03:02 - Targeting Glutes Without Bulking Quads
01:05:17 - Parenting and Promoting Healthy Body Image
01:12:23 - The Critical Role of Muscle in Longevity
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"Going the Distance with Go Long" is produced by JR Media Services. If you're enjoying the show, please reach out to Jon if you have any YouTube or podcast production needs.
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