I went through the menopause at the age of 40. It was a complete shock. I had nowhere to go and did know where to start asking for advice. I was an emotional wreck; I had hot flushes and could not sleep. My body completely shifted, and I got a massive injury. I could not exercise for a year. It was awful!
I am passionate about helping people through menopause and beyond and set up the Facebook group ‘Fit & fabulous from menopause & beyond’ two years ago to give people a forum to share their experiences. I was very open about my own journey and wanted to let people know what worked for me in terms of overcoming stress, weight gain and fitness.
Meanwhile, and thankfully, menopause was beginning to be talked about more openly starting with Lorraine Kelly leading the charge on her daytime show six years ago to Davina McCall: Sex, Myths and the Menopause in 2021. The menopause began to be less of a secret.
I had already started my online fitness classes to support people’s needs during the pandemic and these two communities began to blend as women began to use exercise to help them cope with menopausal symptoms.
Fast forward a few years, and weight training is also being opening discussed to help women through the perimenopausal and menopausal years. Last month, Olympic legend Dame Kelly Holmes described her struggles with her symptoms but also revealed she had been using weights to make her feel better and stronger at a time when she has been feeling weak; she cited it as “critical” for increasing women’s metabolism and preventing muscle loss.
Weights also feature heavily in Stacy T Sims’ book Next Level: Your Guide to Kicking Ass, Feeling Great, and Crushing Goals Through Menopause and Beyond. It’s quite a scientific read but, in summary, weights are key!
Because I needed an exercise plan to help myself protect my own body in the future, help me lose weight, get my tone back, and maintain all that moving forwards, I went out and researched what the best exercise was for women going through perimenopause, menopause and beyond.
I found out that from the age of 40, we lose 8% of our muscle mass every 10 years and when your oestrogen levels start to drop, you feel more sedentary and do not want to move much. One of the most amazing studies I found was by a scientist called Miriam E Nelson. In her Strong Women Stay Young book she studies two groups of menopausal women. One did nothing for a year; the other did two strength classes a week for a year. The data was amazing. The women who did the strength classes turned the clock back. Their strength was comparable to women in their 30s and 40s. They lost fat and built muscle AND self-confidence. They felt really great.
We must keep moving our bodies; it’s really essential. I devised my own total body fitness programme, including weight training, to help me during menopause and I have been sharing versions of this programme ever since through my online strength class.
Many of my clients join the online class but do the recording a few days later so they get in their two sessions a week. If you can manage two, you should feel and see the benefits within three months, but will more importantly, set yourself up for a healthier life.
If you want to give it a try, please contact me to find out more or join us on Zoom at 8am every Monday.