So you’re an active woman. You exercise regularly, enjoy walks, maintain a fairly balanced diet, go to work, and indulge in a dinner out with friends once a week. Your sleep is generally good, and life feels manageable. But then, one day, everything seems to change.
You notice that the weight around your midsection is creeping up seemingly out of nowhere. Your once peaceful nights are disrupted by long bouts of wakefulness, leaving you feeling exhausted during the day. Despite your best efforts, no amount of exercise seems to produce the results you’re used to. What’s going on?
If this sounds familiar, welcome to this stage of life. As you navigate peri-menopause and move into post-menopause, staying physically active becomes even more important for your overall health and well-being. However, HOW you exercise likely needs to be adapted to meet your body’s evolving needs.
Let’s explore how your training can differ during this phase of life and why these adjustments matter.
Lifting Heavy: Progressive Overload and the Nervous System
As estrogen levels drop during menopause, your body faces increased risks of bone density loss and muscle breakdown. This is partly why lifting heavy with progressive overload becomes so important. Training with low-rep ranges (typically 3-6 reps) and progressively increasing the weight over time challenges not only your muscles but also your central nervous system (CNS). The CNS adapts to these heavier loads, helping you maintain strength and balance, which are vital as you age. Heavier weights signal your body to preserve muscle mass and bone density, which are critical in preventing osteoporosis and sarcopenia.
While the ultimate goal during this phase is to lift heavier weights with lower rep ranges, it’s essential to prepare your body gradually. This is where I come in as your trainer. I’m here to help you establish a solid foundation of core strength, stability, and mobility, ensuring you are primed for heavier loads. Before diving into heavy lifting, we’ll focus on foundational strength work to develop control and alignment through exercises that improve your posture and balance.
As we build this base, we’ll progressively increase the intensity so that by the time you’re ready to lift heavy, you can do so with good form and confidence. This gradual approach not only protects your joints and muscles but also ensures your nervous system adapts safely to the increased demands.
Power Training: The Role of Plyometrics in Bone Density and Agility
Incorporating plyometrics, or jump training, into your routine can significantly enhance explosive strength and improve bone density, especially as estrogen levels decline. The impact from landing and quick movements stimulate bone growth, making this training essential during this phase of life.
However, it's important to approach plyometrics cautiously, as your connective tissues may be more prone to injury during peri & post menopause. Structured progressions in training are key to safely integrating these exercises.
Plyometrics also boost agility and improve balance, coordination, and reaction time, which are part of everyday activities and help prevent injuries and falls as you navigate daily life.
True HIIT: High-Intensity, Short Duration
When it comes to High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), think quality over quantity. True HIIT should consist of short, sharp bursts of intensity, where you give your highest effort for 30 seconds, followed by 2-3 minutes of rest. This approach allows your body to fully recover between intervals, enabling you to push hard during each effort. Importantly, your HIIT sessions should not exceed 30 minutes. This style of training promotes cardiovascular health, enhances metabolic efficiency, and helps preserve lean muscle mass while minimizing cortisol spikes that can arise from longer high-intensity workouts.
Fueling Your Workouts: Protein is even more important than ever
During this phase of life, protein becomes your best friend. It plays a crucial role in muscle repair, helps preserve lean muscle mass, and supports metabolic function. To fuel your workouts effectively, aim to incorporate protein into each meal and snack throughout the day. Good sources include eggs, lean meats, dairy, and plant-based options like beans, lentils, tofu, and nuts. This approach will help keep your body strong, support recovery, and maintain energy levels.
Many women in the U.S. do not meet the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for protein. Since your body cannot produce all the protein it needs, it must come from the foods you eat. If you don't consume enough protein, your body may break down lean muscle tissue for the amino acids it requires, leading to an imbalance in muscle-to-fat ratios. To determine your RDA for protein, a common guideline is to multiply your body weight in pounds by 0.36 grams. However, many experts suggest that active women need quite a bit more than the RDA. Women, specifically ages 35+ may better benefit from 0.8 to 1 gram of protein per pound of ideal body weight.
Navigating the changes that come with menopause can feel daunting and confusing. However, having a plan and understanding the importance of adjusting your "usual" training and nutrition can significantly impact your progress during this stage. Prepare to be flexible with your training; what worked for you six months ago may not be as effective in the next six months. Being prepared to pivot can keep the challenge fun rather than leaving you feeling hopeless.
There’s so much more to explore than what can be covered in a brief post like this. I've started a Q & A page with more details on commonly asked questions I get from clients. Check it out!
I’d also love to help answer any questions you may have or create a personalized training program tailored to your needs. Whether you prefer meeting in person or online, I’m here to support you on your journey. Feel free to reach out to me here.
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