No one really tells you how aging really hits different once you turn 40. I come from era of 90s/ 2000's diet culture and mothers who never really discussed what happens in the transition into perimenopause. Jokes have always been about hot flashes, but when I turned 41, let me tell you, a truck might as well have run me over. The brain fog, the exhaustion, the cycle changes in literally everything was unreal. On top of that parenting and watching my aging parents has been huge inspiration to get my butt into incorporating healthy routines.

I was constantly trying to find books on this topic and what to do, since various tests and dr visits came up empty. I've read, and given up on SO MANY hokey-pokey self help books, but this one was fantastic. If you're a woman 35 and up I highly suggest it. It really explains so much.

Written by a bone doc herself, Dr. Vonda Wright does a great job dropping facts, studies and an action plan. I've been following her for awhile on Instagram and when I saw her book on Netgalley I jumped at the chance to review it.

Wright talks a lot about our bones, nutrition and and how lifestyle plays a huge role in how we age. I didn't realize how fast we lose bone density from nursing our babies and the decline that happens when we are between 30 and 40. Wright's approach to what to eat and what kind of workouts to do are also well detailed. I know I struggle with macros because I feel a constant overwhelm with what those numbers should look like. Wright really has a great workbook component in this to track your goals and workouts.
Though I highly recommend this, I do with a few caveats. First, I'm someone who is still able to move and I don't have any mobility limiting issues. Second, the cost of some of the tests she suggests like the Dexa scan can be expensive. Overall, Wright's plan in the book is doable. I'm planning on adding sprints and her workouts into my daily life to keep this bod movin and groovin.
Thanks to Netgalley and Rodale books for the ARC.

Rating: 4.5⭐
Release date: August 26

Unbreakable is written by a very experienced orthopedic surgeon and is targeted to pre- to post menopausal women who want to age powerfully. This book first discusses the physical hallmarks of aging which for women include hormone decline after menopause. She recommends hormone replacement therapy for women, when possible, to help. The most important factor for combatting age-related decline, for Wright is exercise. This book gives her 4-part FACE exercise prescription,, which chapters on each part. First is flexibility and mobility, second is aerobic activity, third is strength (carrying a load) and fourth is equilibrium and foot speed. There are also chapters on diet and on stress reduction.
I am post menopausal and was pleased that my diet, hormone replacement therapy and exercise were already pretty much in line with Dr. Wright's recommendations. For those readers who want to improve their physical health, this book gives excellent recommendations, including detailed exercise instructions. It would be of particular use to health coaches or trainers in working with their clients. I highly recommend this book to any woman interested in living a long and healthy life.
I received a complementary copy of the book from the publisher via NetGalley.

This is an excellent book for any woman age 30+. It would be a great one to have on your shelf to refer back to. The research coming out in the last 5 years about the menopause transition has been incredible and Dr. Wright is leading the way.
This book can be highly technical. As an avid workouter, I don’t know how realistic some of her protocol is, but it is something to shoot for.

Highly recommend.

This book is a great resource for women on aging well. It is written by a longevity specialist and includes exercise recommendations, nutrition, and a six-week program to get into better health for the future. I highly recommend it for women who are looking for resources to age with greater strength and vitality. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

#Unbreakable

Unbreakable is a comprehensive guide for women to gain strength in all aspects of life and age gracefully. Wright is an orthopedic surgeon who details her own journey and how she overcame the time bombs of aging. She describes the science behind each time bomb and gives you the tools to change your life regardless of your fitness level.

I recommend this book for all women, it is full of practical information to alter your lifestyle to combat the aging process. One statistic that stood out is that 70 percent of aging is determined by our lifestyle choices! There’s a six-week program provided with the book that includes exercise protocols and a meal system with recipes. I have already implemented changes to my workout routine using her recommendations and learned so much from this book. This book empowers you to live your best and strongest life.

Thank you Rodale Books, Netgalley, and Vonda Wright,MD for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

Such an empowering and practical guide that challenges outdated views on aging. With medical insight and inspiring encouragement, Dr. Wright shows women how to thrive physically, mentally and emotionally at every stage of life. A quick, motivating read packed with actionable advice.

I love shoe horning concepts into acronyms so I forgive Vonda Wright for her FACE protocol. Face stands for Flexibility and mobility; Aerobic capacity; Carry a load (ie: weight training); and Equilibrium (balance and agility training). There’s also a whole lot of useful information on nutrition and a chapter on mindset too. Fair enough FLAWBANM doesn’t have the same ring to it (Flexibility, Lifestyle, Agility, Weight training, Balance, Aerobic fitness, Nutrition, Mindset).
That being said, Dr Vonda Wright is a brilliant writer. Because she is an orthopaedic surgeon, she has a deep understanding of anatomy and bone health. Her explanation of how important our bones are feels like poetry:
Unlike the framework of a building, which is largely inert, bones are living tissues, providing essential supplies to the rest of the body. Your bones are the storehouse for your body's mineral supply; your bone marrow makes all your immune cells!
Bones are also master communicators, functioning via epigenetic pathways to preserve brain power, cardiovascular health, and metabolic health, even to help protect from zombie cells, loss of stem cell vitality, and mitochondrial dysfunction..

This book addresses the problem that women have been pressured to stay slim and small and not strong - for generations. This has not served them in their later years. Dr Wright’s message is that it is never too late, that we are not destined to pain and infirmity in old age but we will have to work at it. The foundation is physical strength: “I do not lift weights to look good in my little black dress. I contract my skeletal muscle to decrease inflammation, stimulate my mitochondria to be more metabolically efficient, to rejuvenate my muscle stem cells, and to keep my skeleton strong for life. That is work worth doing.”

Unbreakable is a guide to, how to “Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim.” (Nora Ephron)

It’s a great book ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Fantastic book. I will be buying a copy. Author is a medical doctor. Book is packed with latest medical advice and practical tools to keep yourself healthy. Thank you to the author. Thank you to # NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.

Well. Dr Vonda Wright is my perimenopause and musculoskeletal syndrome of menopause hero. I’m not sure about this book. I guess if you are looking for high level information about what may be coming in the future great. But part of me read through this book and learned about all these things that are unavailable and unreachable for the average women in their 40s and 50s. I found it a bit privileged. A list of expensive and unavailable treatments that aren’t accessible that could really help our longevity. In some ways this book totally missed the mark and I’m unsure of what the purpose was. Overall 3 stars.

What can I say about Unbreakable A Woman’s Guide to Aging with Power by Dr. Vonda Wright except I love this book! And I love Dr. Vonda Wright and her message for women of peri-menopausal and menopausal age. So informative and yet still so positive. Instead of feeling overwhelmed and defeated, I feel empowered and educated. I can’t wait to get the physical copy in my hand on release day! Thank you Dr. Vonda Wright, Rodale Books and NetGalley for letting me preview this wonderful book, Unbreakable A Woman’s Guide to Aging with Power. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

💪✨ “Aging isn’t a decline—it’s a training opportunity.” ✨💪

If you’re a woman approaching midlife and beyond, Unbreakable by Dr. Vonda Wright is the science-backed, empowering guide you didn’t know you needed. 🔥

This book isn’t about shrinking or slowing down—it’s about powering up. Dr. Wright reframes how we view perimenopause and aging by shining a spotlight on what she calls the musculoskeletal syndrome of menopause and gives us real tools to fight back.

What I loved:
🧠 Evidence-based wisdom from a leading orthopedic surgeon
🍽️ Anti-inflammatory nutrition tips + easy recipes
🏋️ A 6-week master exercise plan focused on strength and mobility
💤 Sleep, stress & supplement strategies for cellular health
💥 A mindset shift: from fragile to unbreakable

Whether you’re a fitness newbie or a seasoned strength queen, this book meets you where you’re at and gives you a path to stronger bones, more mobility, and a longer, more independent life.

📅 Coming August 26, 2025 from @rodalebooks
Thank you #NetGalley and #RodaleBooks for the ARC!

#Unbreakable #VondaWright #WomensHealth #HealthyAging #MenopauseWellness #PerimenopauseSupport #LongevityForWomen #AgingWithPower #StrongNotSilent #MuscleIsMedicine #ReverseAging #MidlifeWellness #BoneHealthMatters #StrengthTrainingForWomen #UnbreakableBook #Bookstagram #NonfictionReads #ARCReview

Unbreakable is an empowering, research-based guide for women navigating the challenges and changes that come with aging. Some chapters, particularly those focused on nutrition and exercise, were incredibly engaging and useful. Others, however, felt overly detailed and a bit overwhelming at times. Despite that, Dr. Wright’s forward-thinking approach to healthy aging offers practical, effective strategies for increasing strength and enhancing long-term wellness.

Overall, Unbreakable is a reminder that aging is a privilege—and that caring for ourselves throughout the journey is essential.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Rodale Books for providing me with an eARC of Unbreakable: A Woman's Guide to Aging with Power prior to its publication.

Unbreakable tackles aging head-on: how can we reach an independent old age with physical and mental strength and vitality? Dr. Vonda Wright, an orthopedic surgeon, uses scientific research and real-life stories to discuss mindset, stress management, exercise, and nutrition. Wright's exercise protocols, recipes, suggestions for talking to medical providers, can help readers figure out their own approach to aging. As with any such book, take these as suggestions —not everyone needs a glucose monitor, for example, or afford a fancy gym membership— and apply what makes sense for you.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Why look forward to getting older when, for many, this means living to an old age with pain and disease? Longevity is at the forefront of my mind. My grandfather lived to be 92, but for many of those years he needed help with mobility and had declining cognitive function. I don't want that. If I'm going to live that long, I want to be strong, and healthy in my mind and body. When given the opportunity to read the book, Unbreakable, by Dr. Vonda Wright, orthopaedic surgeon, I jumped at the opportunity. What could I do to make myself "unbreakable?"

Apparently, there are many facets of making oneself unbreakable. Dr. Wright addresses the areas of movement, nutrition, and mindset in her comprehensive approach to longevity. The strengths of the book are the detailed plan, the scientific basis, and the inclusion of anti-inflammatory recipes. Her plan is female based, as noted by the focus on women's stories and a discussion of the benefits of hormone replacement therapy.

The weaknesses of this book are that many of the solutions involve resources many do not have access to without a large bankroll. I do not own a continuous glucose monitor, a place to do cold plunges, red light therapy, saunas. or cuffs for compression therapy. She acknowledges that no one expects you to do all of these, but what if I can't do any of them? Oh well? One more weakness is the lack of pictures or links for her exercise protocol. I found myself reading the descriptions of exercises and still at a loss for what I should be doing. Her exercise protocol requires a gym membership or a very well equipped home gym that also includes a TRX and a Deka Tank (I had to look that one up since I didn't know what it was.)

I found this book to be a well rounded approach to women being strong as we age. I just wish the protocol was more accessible to everyone, regardless of income.

This is an extremely detailed, scientifically based, essential guide for women who want to stay (or become) strong and vital during menopause and beyond. This is a comprehensive guide that includes specific exercises, recipes, information about HRT and other medical interventions, and more, all from an orthopedic surgeon who knows what she’s talking about. Highly recommend!

A great guide for women on aging with greater vitality, strength, power, mental acuity, and independence. Written by an orthopedic surgeon/longevity specialist, with tips for exercise, nutrition, mindset, and a healthy lifestyle, along with a six-week implementation program. that I found incredibly helpful. A wonderful resource!