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Effective Workouts for Health and Wellness (Menopause edition)
Menopause is a natural transition in a woman’s life. But this biological process means more than the end of a woman’s menstrual cycle. This change, which occurs in the late 40s and early 50s, impacts a woman’s physical and emotional well-being. More often than not, it’s associated with a noticeable decline in overall health unless managed by staying active and eating a healthy diet.
Combat menopause with a proper menopause exercise plan, complete with effective workouts, their benefits, and tips on how to stay motivated.
Understanding the Importance of Exercise During Menopause
Weight gain, weakening of bones, and a higher risk of cardiovascular disease are just some of the effects the decline of estrogen levels has on women during menopause. Regular exercise can help combat these challenges.
Benefits of Staying Active
Exercise during menopause offers numerous benefits that can significantly improve your quality of life, such as:
Weight Management
Engaging in physical activity for at least 30 minutes twice a week has been shown to positively affect a woman’s tendency to gain weight during menopause.
Bone Health
Dedicating 2-3 days a week to resistance training and weight-bearing exercises can improve balance, muscle strength, and bone health.
Cardiovascular Health
Regular exercise keeps the heart pumping, helps stay fit and healthy, and reduces the risk of heart disease, often associated with menopause.
Mood Regulation
Physical activities encourage the human body to release happy hormones known as endorphins, an important hormone that helps suppress stress and pain.
Better Sleep
Sleep quality often deteriorates during menopause. Exercising can help mitigate this.
Hot Flash Reduction
Studies show that women who exercise regularly don’t have hot flashes as often or as severe as those who live sedentary lifestyles.
These research-backed benefits of a well-crafted menopause exercise plan and the usual perks of an active lifestyle are excellent reasons to make lifestyle changes.
Common Challenges and How to Overcome Them
Lack of Motivation
Solution: Nothing is more demotivating than setting high goals and coming short. While it doesn’t hurt to try and do more, you should start by setting small and realistic goals. Don’t forget to celebrate each milestone reached.
Time Constraints
Solution: Between work and life, most menopausal women don’t have time to go to the gym. The best solution is to incorporate 15-20-minute short but high-intensity workouts.
Physical Discomfort
Solution: Swimming, yoga, cycling, and even brisk walking are examples of low-impact activities that put minimal strain on the joints. If pain persists, consult your healthcare provider.
Components of a Balanced Exercise Plan
A well-rounded menopause exercise plan should include cardiovascular workouts, strength training, and flexibility exercises.
Cardiovascular Workouts
These types of workouts benefit your metabolism and heart health, which in turn helps you manage your weight.
Walking and Jogging
If you haven’t exercised for a while, start with brisk walks. Aim to do this at least 150 minutes a week. Once you feel more comfortable, start jogging. You can increase the intensity and drop the time spent to 60-75 minutes every week.
Another alternative is interval training, which combines short, high-intensity bursts of exercise with slower, easier activities like sprints and brisk walking.
Cycling and Swimming
Cycling and swimming are gentler on the joints while arguably bringing better cardiovascular benefits. These exercises are best for those with access to both, especially the latter.
Aim for a maximum of 3 sessions a week, starting with 20-minute spurts. Once you feel more comfortable, increase it to 60 minutes.
Strength Training
At ages 40 and 50, the goal of strength training isn’t to build muscle mass. It’s maintenance, preventing muscle deterioration and bone loss during menopause.
Weight Lifting
Progressively increasing the weights you lift challenges your muscles, effectively reversing aging’s effects on muscle mass, bone density, and metabolism.
Common weight-lifting exercises include squads and leg presses (lower body), chest presses (upper body), rows (back muscles), shoulder presses (shoulders), bicep curls, and tricep extensions (arms).
Resistance Bands Exercises
If you don’t like lifting weights or don’t have access to them, you can use resistance bands to do a full-body workout and enjoy similar benefits.
Flexibility and Balance
Learning exercises that target flexibility and balance may improve depression-related menopause symptoms.
Yoga
Downward dog, warrior, and tree poses are examples of yoga poses that improve mental health and well-being. They also make you more limber and flexible. We have created an article for helping you with yoga for menopause weight loss, we have included 9 poses that will focus on helping you with menopause exercises.
Pilates
While similar, pilates shouldn’t be confused with yoga. It’s more focused on core strength and posture. This low-impact exercise alternative helps alleviate back pain, which is common among menopausal women.
Sample Exercise Plan for Menopausal Women
You can follow this menopause exercise plan if you’re starting.
Weekly Workout Schedule
Day 1: Cardio and Core
- 30 minutes of brisk walking, cycling, or swimming
- 15 minutes of core exercises such as planks, crunches, and leg raises
Day 2: Strength Training
- 45 minutes of full-body strength training
- Upper body: Dumbbell press, bicep curls
- Lower Body: Squads, lunges
Day 3: Flexibility and Balance
- 45 minutes of yoga or Pilates
- Focus on light stretches and balance
Day 4: Rest or Light Activity
- Go for a light walk. Don’t forget to stretch before and after.
Day 5: Cardio and Strength
- 20 minutes of brisk walking, jogging, cycling, or swimming
- 25 minutes of strength training, focusing on at least one major muscle group
Day 6: Active Recovery (e.g., Yoga)
- A quick yoga session focused on relaxation and destressing
Day 7: Rest
- This is your rest day. You can do nothing. If you insist, go for a leisurely walk around a nearby park.
Detailed Exercise Descriptions
Cardio Exercises
- Walking/Jogging The goal is consistency. Your pace should allow you to walk but not swing. Engage your core by swinging your arms.
- Cycling Find a steady pace that gets your heart racing and blood pumping and maintain that.
- Swimming Don’t overdo yourself. Focus on proper form and steady breathing.
Strength Training Moves
- Squats - Good for the lower body and core
- Chest Press Works out your chest, shoulders, and triceps
- Rows Engages everything like your upper back, biceps, forearms, chest, and abs
- Shoulder Press Strengths your upper back and shoulders
Flexibility Routines
- Downward Dog Stretches your entire body
- Tree Pose Best for improving balance and stability
- Pilates Leg Circles Increases core strength and hip flexibility
- Standing Squad Stretch Targets motion in the knee and hip joints
Tips for Staying Motivated
Setting Realistic Goals
When your goals are smaller and more achievable, it’s easier to stay motivated.
You can eventually move the goalpost as you progress with your workouts.
Tracking Progress
Fitness journals and apps can help you closely monitor your workouts.
It’s easier to celebrate milestones when you know whether you’re staying on track and what’s next.
Finding a Workout Buddy
Friends, family members, relatives, and even a stranger who works out with you can help you stay accountable and motivated.
Mixing Up Your Routine
Feel free to experiment once you get into the swing of things. New activities, classes, or a new environment helps keep things fresh.
Addressing Common Concerns
Managing Joint Pain
Joint pain isn’t uncommon among menopausal women. Don’t let this stop you from exercising. You can try low-impact alternatives like swimming and cycling. Make sure to add proper warm-up and cool-down routines to lower injury risk.
Avoiding Injury
Warming up and cooling down is crucial for injury management.
Other ways to avoid injury are to learn the proper forms of exercise and avoid overdoing yourself.
If your body feels tired, don’t push it. Rest, even if only briefly, to avoid overexerting yourself.
Modifying Exercises as Needed
Just because an exercise tells you to do something doesn’t mean you should do it exactly as stated.
Work closely with a trainer to find modified and alternative versions of exercises that are either causing you pain or you find difficult to execute. A more personalized fitness guidance that accommodates physical limitations is also safer for you.
Expert Advice and Resources
A vital component of a proper menopause exercise plan is professional help.
There are many resources available online and in person about menopause and exercise. You should use them to your advantage.
Consulting with Fitness Professionals
Fitness professionals, particularly those with experience working with menopausal women, can help with your fitness journey.
Aside from offering advice about your menopause exercise plan, they can make sure that you’re using the proper form in your exercises. The correct form minimizes injury risk and keeps the targeted muscles more engaged.
Recommended Fitness Apps
For those looking for specialized fitness tools during menopause, exploring various workout apps for menopause can be incredibly beneficial. These apps offer tailored exercises, nutritional guidance, and wellness tips that align with the unique needs of women going through this stage.
Joining Exercise Groups and Classes
Going through perimenopause and menopause can feel isolating for women and affect their mental health, even if their family and friends are supportive of them. The hormonal changes make finding someone else who can relate to your situation difficult.
Joining exercise groups and classes and other online communities offers an opportunity to find the right kind of support and motivation from like-minded women.
Conclusion
Embracing an active lifestyle during menopause is great for your health, well-being, and quality of life.
With this menopause exercise plan, you have a comprehensive foundation to help you get started.
For best results, remember that consistency is key. Start with what you have and make slow but steady progress. Celebrate every achievement, and don’t be too hard on yourself. Lastly, consult your healthcare provider.
Adding this menopause exercise plan to your daily routine is the most significant step you can take towards enjoying better physical and mental health during this transitional period in your life.
FAQs
What is the best exercise plan for managing menopause symptoms?
A mix of cardio, strength training, flexibility, and balance exercises is ideal for managing menopause symptoms.
How can strength training benefit women going through menopause?
Strength training helps maintain muscle mass, improve bone density, and boost metabolism during menopause.
Are low-impact exercises recommended for women in menopause?
Yes, low-impact exercises like swimming, cycling, and yoga are gentle on joints and effective for overall fitness.
How often should I exercise during menopause?
Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise weekly, plus strength and flexibility training.
What are the benefits of yoga and Pilates in a menopause exercise plan?
Yoga and Pilates improve flexibility, balance, and mental well-being, helping to manage menopause symptoms.
