Brooke Burke says women in their 50s must add this to their workouts

Brooke Burke has a word of advice for women in their 50s.

The 52-year-old television personality and fitness guru is urging women to add weights to their workout routines.

"This stage of my life as a woman, Mother Nature is just dishing out challenge after challenge for us," Burke told Fox News Digital in an interview published Friday.

The former " Dancing with the Stars " alum and co-host wants to dispel myths and assumptions women may have about weight training .

"... Most women are afraid of heavy weights. And there's this myth attached to it that we're going to get bulky," she said. "Not true. Like, we would have to consume so much protein and go so heavy and be so diligent about that program to really change the body."

Burke said there are several benefits to adding weights to your workout routine.

"What I found, I'm in my 50s, no one prepared us for menopause and said, 'Learn how to weight train,'" she told the outlet. "The reason we need to weight train is for bone density. It's bone health, osteoporosis. It shifts your hormones. It kicks up your metabolism. It creates strength. It allows you to develop more coordination so we can do other things."

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The author and actress launched her fitness app Brooke Burke Body in 2017, which includes her signature "booty burn" workouts. But now that she's in her 50s, she has had to adjust.

"It's the first time I'm really adding heavy weights And heavy for me is like 10 pound arms, right?" she told Fox. "I've always added heavy weights to my booty burn programs to build curves in the glute muscles. But it's making me stronger."

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She said she's also added protein to her diet, "because my body needs it." And she is fiercely against counting calories.

"I have enough stuff to count in my life," she said. "There are so many calories in my smoothie, but here's the difference — it's nutrient dense. It's loaded with good fats. I'm fueling my brain. I'm feeding my body. I'm energizing my whole system."

For Burke, it's a diet as well as a mindset change.

"Flavorful meals, herbs, spices, oils, it's a different way of approaching wellness. Different than when I was in my 20s. It's better, and it's more fun," she said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Brooke Burke says women in their 50s must add this to their workouts