Menopause is a transformative phase in life, and it often raises many questions about how to adjust your fitness and nutrition routine to best support your body. In this article, I’ll address some of the most common questions clients have about training and nutrition during menopause, helping you navigate these changes with confidence and clarity.
If you like to follow the on-going research and data on training through Menopause, click on the links I've embedded throughout this Q & A!
I understand that estrogen drops during perimenopause but what does that have to do with the way I train?
Estrogen helps with muscle repair, bone density, and fat metabolism, so when it drops during perimenopause, it becomes harder to maintain muscle and bone strength. It also impacts how your body manages stress from exercise. This is why shorter, strength-focused workouts with enough recovery time are key during this phase.
Example: Imagine you’ve been doing long, intense cardio sessions for years, but now they leave you feeling wiped out instead of energized. That’s your body struggling to handle the same stress without the estrogen it used to have. Shifting to shorter, strength-based workouts can help you maintain energy and see better results.
Why does it seem like my fat just traveled from my hips to my belly & what can I do about it?
As estrogen levels decline during menopause, your body naturally shifts fat storage from your hips and thighs to your abdominal area partly because the fat around your hips—so essential during your reproductive years for protecting your reproductive organs—is no longer prioritized. Instead, your body shifts fat storage to your abdominal region, where it helps protect vital organs like the liver, pancreas, and kidneys. This is a common and frustrating experience, but resistance training can help.
Studies show that lifting weights not only builds muscle but also triggers fat-burning hormones like growth hormone and norepinephrine, which specifically target belly fat. Research has found that women who engage in strength training experience increased fat metabolism during and after workouts, particularly in the abdominal region.
Additionally, strength training reduces visceral fat, the deep fat around your organs that poses serious health risks. One study on postmenopausal women showed significant losses in both surface and deep belly fat after just 25 weeks of strength training twice a week. By incorporating resistance training, you’re not only addressing belly fat but also improving your long-term health and metabolism.
I love my power yoga and pilates classes. Do those count as strength training?
Yes! And.... no! While power yoga and Pilates are fantastic for improving flexibility, balance, core strength, mobility and even mental health, they don’t have the same metabolic affect as heavy resistance training. Both practices primarily use your body weight for resistance, which can help build some muscle endurance, but they don't typically provide the progressive overload needed to significantly increase muscle mass and strength.
Heavy strength training, on the other hand, involves lifting heavier weights or resistance (like dumbbells or resistance bands) in a way that gradually challenges your muscles more over time. This is crucial, especially during menopause, for maintaining muscle mass, bone density, metabolic health AND for decreasing many other symptoms of menopause. So, while your yoga and Pilates are great for overall fitness and mobility, incorporating dedicated strength training sessions with external resistance will offer the best results for long-term strength and health, especially during peri and post menopause . Obviously, you could do both to get a well-rounded routine!
What's the deal with weighted vests and menopause?
Weighted vests have become popular among women, especially during menopause, for a few key reasons. One of the biggest benefits is improving bone density. As estrogen levels drop, bone loss accelerates, putting women at a higher risk for osteoporosis. Wearing a weighted vest during activities like walking, strength training, or even household chores adds extra resistance, which signals your bones to get stronger.
The vest can also help with maintaining or increasing muscle mass. Since weight-bearing exercises are crucial for building strength, a vest offers an easy way to turn everyday activities into mini strength-training sessions without adding stress to your joints.
When it comes to how heavy the vest should be, it’s best to start light. A general guideline is to wear a vest that’s about 5-10% of your body weight and gradually increase as your strength and comfort grow. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, start with a vest around 7-15 pounds. Always listen to your body and ease into using it, so you don't strain muscles or joints. Weighted vests can be a great tool to support your fitness goals as your body changes through menopause!
When I was younger, I used lighter weights and higher reps to avoid bulky arms and shoulders. Now that I'm in menopause, my arms and belly have grown, and I’m worried that lifting heavier weights will make them even bigger. How can I prevent this while building muscle?
Getting bulky from lifting heavy is a common concern among women, especially with the body changes that happen during menopause. Hormonal shifts can lead to more fat being stored in areas like your belly & arms, which might make them look larger or less defined. But the idea that lifting heavier weights will automatically cause you to bulk up is largely a myth, especially for women.
Women produce much less testosterone than men, which is the primary hormone responsible for muscle growth. This means that, even when lifting heavy, it’s much harder for women to build large, bulky muscles. Instead, heavier weights can help you build lean muscle and burn fat, which is key to achieving a toned, strong look.
Having said that, in your case you would want to focus on true STRENGTH training (Actual muscle strength. Think 1-8 rep ranges) and less on HYPERTROPHY training (Increasing muscle size. Think 8-12 rep ranges). More research on that can be found Here.
Here’s how you can lift heavy without bulking up:
Focus on proper nutrition: To avoid adding unwanted bulk, make sure you’re not eating in a calorie surplus, especially when it comes to protein and overall calories. Maintaining a slight calorie deficit can help reduce fat while building muscle.
Prioritize compound exercises: These multi-joint movements like squats, deadlifts, bench presses, and rows work several muscle groups at once, promoting strength without excessive muscle growth in any single area.
Use moderate rep ranges: Aiming for 3-8 reps per set at a challenging weight will build strength without focusing on hypertrophy (muscle size). This approach helps you get stronger and leaner without adding bulk.
Track your progress: Regularly assess whether your current training program is helping you meet your goals. Instead of relying solely on the mirror for feedback, take body measurements or use a body composition scanner like InBody to get accurate insights into your muscle-to-fat ratio. If your results aren’t aligning with your goals, adjust your training or nutrition as needed. Continuously test and retest to ensure you’re on track to achieving the results you want.
How can I know how much weight to lift when I'm trying to lift heavy?
When lifting heavy, determining the right weight starts with finding a balance between challenging yourself and maintaining good form.
Here’s how to know how much weight to lift:
Start with a baseline: Start with weights that allow you to complete 6–8 reps per set with proper form. The last few reps should feel challenging, but you shouldn’t sacrifice form to lift the weight.
The “last rep” test: A good rule of thumb is that by the final rep, you should feel like you could maybe do one more—but no more than that. If you can easily finish the set and feel like you could do several more reps, increase the weight the next time you do that exercise.
Progressive overload: Gradually increase the weight over time as you get stronger. This ensures that your muscles are continually challenged, which is essential for building strength. But also that you're not getting ahead of yourself by lifting too heavy too fast. Try increasing the weight by 2.5-5% each week if your body feels ready.
Ultimately, the goal is to lift a weight that challenges you while allowing you to maintain control and proper form throughout the set.
Keep your questions coming! I'll add them in along with answers & more links to the data!
Comentarios