What Is Menopause And What Should I Do To Manage It?

by Deanett Pierce, CPT, Menopausal Specialist

Aging is a right of passage--when we turn 16, we get to drive. At 18, we can vote. And at 21, we can legally drink alcohol! But as women get older, there's a milestone that exists that is less of a right of passage and more of something that is not spoken about—menopause.

History and society have created a stigma around the aging female and menopause, which has created an environment for women to feel alone, frustrated, lost and even hopeless. I know; I have been there. Even within the female community, menopause is not something that we talk about. And why not? This is not something that we should be embarrassed about. It is something EVERY female will go through. Menopause, like many life changes, is the beginning of a new chapter in our lives, and one that we should embrace. The sooner you recognize and embrace this life event, the more you can prepare for all the biological changes that come with it.

Menopause is not the same for any two women, and it can be a rough and bumpy road. But by familiarizing yourself with the stages of menopause, the biological changes, and the symptoms you can employ strategies that will help you feel confident, powerful, strong, and in control.

EVERY woman will go through menopause. The best time to prepare your body for the changes, though, is not while you’re experiencing symptoms but before they start to happen. It's important that you take control and be proactive for this new phase of life that awaits you. Being proactive will mitigate vasomotor symptoms, weight gain, loss of lean mass, and loss of strength. Being proactive and changing the way you train and feed your body before you enter into perimenopause allows you to be able to help offset some of the struggles you may face when you’re in the thick of it.

 
 
 

Why DO I gain weight during menopause?

When we get to peri/post menopause we become drastically less efficient at using carbohydrates. The reason for this is that our premenopausal body’s ability to process carbohydrates is more efficient, especially at particular times of the menstrual cycle. When in menopause, that menstrual cycle is irregular and then disappears, therefore throwing off the body’s ability to use and store carbs effectively. This in turn contributes to excessive storage of fat, particularly in the midsection.

Why do I lose muscle and strength during menopause?

During menopause and post-menopause, there is a reduction in estrogen and progesterone hormones. This reduction leads to decreased muscle and joint integrity as well as increases the difficulty to grow lean muscle mass. Functionally, this equates to you losing strength and power during everyday life and high level activities.

How do i manage/lose weight and build muscle during menopause?

In order to help combat the consequences of going through menopause you will need to include exercise that is higher in intensity and effort, reduce your total volume of aerobic workouts, and increase your daily protein intake. Examples of higher intensity exercise includes: HIIT training in anaerobic zones, heavy weightlifting, and plyometric training. Lastly, just as importantly as the level of intensity of exercises, you also need to prioritize your recovery period. In order to reap the benefits of higher intensity exercises, your body will need enough time to recover and adapt to the stress of this type of training. Therefore, scheduling in a 24-36 hour period of recovery between hard effort workouts is imperative.

(Want more? Learn why too much aerobic exercise can increase weight gain, increase lean muscle loss, and reduce your strength and power.)

Consider a consultation with our menopause specialist, Deanett Pierce, CPT.