You now are in training. Knowing that is helpful because it means you have already started your return to fitness, and you don’t have to convince yourself to get out there and start doing something.

Working Up to Working Out

Here are some important tips for making your menopause workout regimen a success:

1. Get plenty of sleep. You don’t want to start exercising when you are sleep-deprived. It will lead to injuries because when you are deficient in sleep, your adrenaline and cortisol levels are higher and your control and focus may be off.
2. Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water before, during, and after exercising. When you are dehydrated, your heart has to work harder to get the blood to carry oxygen to all your tissues. Dehydration also means that your body will make higher levels of adrenoline and cortisol, and exercising with higher levels causes your body to use up stores of protein, fat, and sugar at a faster rate.
3. Do light stretching for five minutes before working out, and stretch for at least 10 minutes at the end of your exercise.
4. Breathe! We all forget to breathe. Our breathing should be regular and deep, coming from the abdominal area. When you breathe in, you should feel your diaphragm expanding and when you breathe out your diaphragm should spring back in. Breathe out in the part of the exercise that takes the most effort, such as lifting a weight or hitting a tennis ball. Breathe in during the recovery phase of an exercise. Proper breathing will keep oxygen flowing to the cells, decrease tension and tightness, and improve performance with less strain
5. Eat well. Do not lower you calorie intake, or eliminate meals, foods or food groups. The purpose of exercise and eating is regeneration. It takes both to reshape your body.
6. Work out in the morning. Many people attest, and research confirms, that the best time to exercise is first thing in the morning. It makes you feel good for the rest of the day. Early morning exercising increases the likelihood that you will be consistent and stick with the program for years, not months. It’s not that exercising later in the day is bad for you, it’s not, but there is more that can interrupt your good intentions at the end of a long, hard day. However, if you find it easier to exercise at the end of the day because that’s when your buddy can join you or because you don’t have to worry about how you look in the office after you work out, then don’t change your routine. Do what works for you.

Level One — For the Exercise-Challenged

Start slowly if you haven’t been exercising for a while.

Two types of exercises should be part of your initial routine. The first type are resistance/adaptive exercises, which involve working your muscles against a force. Examples are swimming, weight training, recumbent bicycling, resistance bands, and Pilates. It is recommended that you engage in these activities for 15 to 30 minutes, 5 to 7 days a week.

The second type of exercise, flexibility/calming exercises, is focused on elongating your muscles and/or calming you down. Included are yoga, stretching exercises, easy walking, and rowing. You should focus on these exercises for 30 to 60 minutes, three times a week.

This may seem like a lot to do at a time when you are trying to find your new voice and place in the world, while navigating the menopausal changes in your body and mood swings. One reason working out is highly recommended for men and women undergoing “The Change,” is because it is a mood elevator. When you are in one of those moments (days or weeks) when life feels crazy and chaotic, take a break, go for a walk or to the gym to work out! Exercise clears the mind, energizes your spirit, and empowers you to walk through fire and ice.

Level One-A — For the Not-So-Challenged

When you feel you can handle it comfortabl, after a few weeks at Level One, add a third type of exercise: cardiovascular/stimulating exercise, such as walking at a fast pace, running, playing soccer, volleyball, or tennis, or dancing, for 15 to 30 minutes, 2 to 3 times a week.

When you’ve done all three types of exercise long enough for them to feel less challenging, it is probably time to add more of a challenge. How you do that is up to you. One way is to seek out a trainer or guide who knows how to help you work harder without stressing you out. You don’t have to enroll in boot camp. The idea is living better; having the wrong trainer can make you hate every moment of a workout because someone is pushing you beyond your ability for end results which are theirs, not yours.

Ready for the next challenge? Go to Exercise Smarter Not Harder.

Good luck!

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