The movement routine you need to support your menopause journey
Life can feel tough sometimes, especially as a woman going through the menopause, because you tend to fall into the routine of taking care of everyone else first, just when you need a bit of TLC the most. Then things get tougher, because you find yourself at the bottom of the pile and the best version of yourself feels further and further away.
If you keep saying to yourself that you’ll start wearing that favourite outfit again when you’ve started exercising again, but then feel overwhelmed by where to start with movement now you’re in mid-life and find yourself putting off getting started, this blog post is for you. Yes, you CAN feel great in your body through your menopause journey and movement is the key to unlocking your inner vitality. In this blog post, you’ll discover how having a movement routine can help you and how to make getting started with a movement routine through mid-life as easy as possible.
Why having a movement routine makes such a difference during menopause - and beyond
You might have noticed that you’ve started feeling stiff and low on energy, even during your usual routine of sitting at your desk / laptop / on the phone. You might also have noticed that you’re not as chipper as you used to be. Low mood, fatigue, weight gain and anxiety are common struggles for menopausal women. This is because, during menopause, you can experience a lack of muscle strength, reduction in flexibility, your hormones are shifting gears and your mind is frequently wandering to the big question of, “what now?”.
Introducing activity into your daily routine can help lift the low moods and fatigue which can occur during peri and menopause. Movement in any form can be a great benefit to the body, keeps you fit and healthy and makes you feel good about yourself. Doing some daily stretches will massively benefit your posture, back, hamstrings and hips. If you don’t move it you will lose it! This is an opportunity and a terrific new phase in your mid life journey.
5 benefits of moving through menopause
1. Supports bone health
Protect your bone health with strength based exercises in the form of pilates and weight bearing, balance work or hand weights.
2. Works up a sweat
There’s evidence that building up a sweat and being physically active can reduce those pesky hot flushes.
3. Relax, calm your nervous system and promote sleep
Stretching, breath work/meditation and gentle pilates all help to calm the nervous system and mind - keeping you cool and making sure you get a better night’s sleep.
4. Keeps you active and happier
Exercise most definitely improves the mood and reduces depression. Joining a group class gives you an extra lift as you enjoy moving as part of a community.
5. Builds on healthy habits
Stay hydrated and perhaps cut down on those extra sugary foods - which could lead to mid-section weight gain - inspired by maintaining your movement routine.
How movement during menopause is different
Your energy for exercise might feel lower now that you’ve reached mid-life, as lack of sleep and hormonal shifts leave you feeling sluggish to get up and move. Some days you might feel strong like you “used to” and other days you might feel unexpectedly weak. Maybe you signed up for a gym group class and then shuffled out early; you felt anonymous and nobody seemed to recognise that you needed help because you struggled to keep up - when previously you would have shone. Then you told yourself, “I’ll try again when I’m ready, I’ve got so much going on and just can’t face it at the moment.” That was quite some time ago now.
That’s all totally ok and normal. What’s important is that you start to recognise the strong days and dedicate more time to movement on those days.
What your menopause movement routine could look like
Walking at least 30 mins every day
Moderate intensity workouts (longer walks/runs at a faster pace) 2-3 days per week
Strength training at least once per week
Pilates and/or stretch sessions at least once per week.
FYI - Pilates brings huge benefits for your mid-section, improving posture, balance, co-ordination, strength of joints and muscles and increases flexibility and mobility.
During mid-life it is important to incorporate stretching both before and after exercise to better prepare your body and avoid stiffness or fatigue. On your lower energy days, embrace more slowness and enjoy gentle stretching/trigger point work or relaxation and breath work. Embrace movement that has community at the core so that you feel supported and motivated by a group of like-minded people.
The menopause journey gives you the opportunity to show yourself a little more love. It’s normal and beneficial to adapt your movement routine to look quite different to when you were in your 20s and 30s; your metabolism is slower, your hormones are shifting and you probably have more family and work pressures than you did before reaching mid-life. This is the time for you discover feel-good movement. To move more, strengthen your muscles and stretch more. Having a movement routine that supports your menopause journey - as well as a supportive community who are on the same journey - could make all the difference to your energy, flexibility and self confidence.