Menopause & The Fit Woman

Regular physical activity is crucial for women facing menopause. Consider what physical activity can do for you — and how to apply fitness tips for menopause to your daily routine.

- Rudy Mawer

It’s the dreaded “M” word! For many years, menopause has been a taboo subject, often referred to in quiet whispers as “the change.” Women didn’t talk publicly about it, despite the fact that menopause is a perfectly normal — and unavoidable — part of a woman’s life.

Your body is going through some drastic changes at this point that will probably affect your training and nutrition — and unfortunately not the ones you want. Luckily, some advanced research studies show how you can combat the hormonal alterations that negatively impact your body and still reach your goals.

Here’s everything you need to know about menopause and, more important, how to use advanced dietary and training techniques to conquer it.

HORMONES AND MENOPAUSE

Biologically speaking, menopause is simply the cessation of your period. As you age, your ovaries produce less estrogen and progesterone — the hormones that regulate menstruation — and your fertility declines.

Throughout a woman’s life, estrogen levels will fluctuate and change, noticeably impacting mood, energy levels, sleep, physique, performance and overall quality of life. During menopause, the decline in estrogen levels can cause an increase in body fat. In women, estrogen is the main hormone responsible for fat mobilization and usage; therefore, as levels decline, storing excess fat in the fat cells is more likely. The fat around the stomach is known as visceral fat and surrounds our internal organs. Fat accumulation in this area has been repeatedly proven to increase the risk of health issues such as heart disease, diabetes and stroke. Declining estrogen also can reduce bone density, weakening the structure of your bones, putting you at greater risk of injuries like stress fractures or even breaks.