Menopause and Spontaneous Exercise

As we women age, most of us will inevitably enter into a new phase of life.  Menopause.  Ahhhh….Some would define menopause as “the end of menses”.  Others, “the change”.  One client described it a bit more colorfully.  She called it her “personal summer” while she was having a major hot flash!  Regardless of what word you use to describe it, menopause is real and has definite effects on the female body.  Besides the hot flashes, loss of libido and the threat of osteoporosis looming ahead, the most common complaint we hear at the studio is the sudden weight gain. Some feel it’s inevitable.  A loss of muscle mass and an increase in abdominal fat are common at the time of menopause; however it DOES NOT have to be a given that you WILL gain an extra 10 or 20 pounds.  Although common-not absolute!  If you remain active and continue with strength training, regular cardiovascular training and modify your eating habits, you CAN maintain your weight.  A major reason so many women DO gain weight is that they become more sedentary.  A sedentary lifestyle is conducive to muscle loss. With muscle loss comes a decrease resting metabolic rate.  Also, during the cessation of menses, women burn about 40-70 less calories per day, due to the declining estrogen levels. Oftentimes, calorie intake is increased.  Studies show that women eat more calories as estrogen declines and that we crave more fat and sugar and less nutritious, more satisfying foods that have protein and fiber. The amount of calories expended must be equal to the amount of calories taken in if we want to maintain our weight.  A simple mathematical fact.

This exact question was posed to the panel of experts we spoke with while at the IDEA Fitness Convention in San Diego.  “What can menopausal women do to combat weight gain?”   With the obvious mentioned above, it was also stressed that during this phase of a woman’s life, spontaneous exercise is just what the doctor ordered.  Spontaneous exercise is any type of exercise that you do that is not necessarily planned.  ie:  Take a stroll around the mall in between each store you stop in, do lunges or squats during a t.v. commercial or park further away from your car and walk the few extra steps.   You get the idea.  Spontaneity! What a great idea….easy, cheap and very doable at an age where we all don’t need one more planned activity on our plate.  So get out there and burn off those extra calories.  Remember, you CAN maintain your weight during this phase of your life.  It’s a new chapter, so keep your shape and enjoy your life!