Strong, Mindful, Feisty and Fit Over 40!
“By choosing healthy over skinny you are choosing self-love over self-judgment. You are beautiful!”
Steve Maraboli, Unapologetically You: Reflections on Life and the Human Experience
As I sat down to write this article, the above quote jumped out at me, and it seemed like the most perfect quote to share with you. If only you could feel the energy in my body and see the gleaming grin on my face at this moment. This short, powerful thought synthesizes just what I hope to impart on you today.
Like you, I am a woman celebrating midlife. In just a few short months, I will be 45 years old, and I am experiencing the symptoms of perimenopause. What does this stage of my life hold for me? What does healthy look like in my mid-forties?
My work for the last 20 years has been about helping people engage in behaviors that help keep us healthy, like eating well, exercising, meditating, taking steps to stop smoking, managing stress, and so much more.
At different parts in my life, I have been downright obsessed with being skinny. Beginning in my teens, I endeavored to look a certain way that meshed with our society’s ideal of svelte beauty. I am here to tell you that I have NEVER achieved that goal.
However, as the years passing have offered me wisdom in place of illusions, and while continuing to research all things health, fitness and wellness, I can tell you the quest to look thin has given way to a new goal: simply being healthy. Amen to finding this kind of peace!
Last year, I was introduced to the work of Dr. Stacy Sims, who authored the book ROAR: How to Match Your Food and Fitness to Your Unique Female Physiology for Optimum Performance, Great Health, and a Strong, Lean Body for Life. As a personal trainer and fitness and wellness specialist, I am lucky to have had the time and resources to commit to training under Dr. Sims’s certification program.
But in my opinion, her book is a must-read for every woman. Dr. Sims has been working for more than 20 years studying women’s health and our cycles and how we respond to food and exercise at different points in our lives. I learned that astonishingly, most of the past research about diet and exercise was done on men.
I’m sorry, WHAT? YES, a lot of the research out there was done on men, and that is the information that has been shared and which has become the norm. Well, Dr. Sims’s research has uncovered much about how women’s hormones play a huge role in our health and fitness.
Without getting too technical, here a few things we should know about the perimenopausal and menopausal years.
Perimenopausal Years (generally 5 years before menopause)
Our levels of estrogen and progesterone are fluctuating all over the place.
Our metabolism changes because of the effect estrogen and progesterone have on it.
What worked for us in terms of exercise and diet in our 20s and 30s may not work as well as we age.
During this time, we begin to have a sensitivity to insulin.
We may experience feeling tired and slow.
Menopausal Years
Women experience an increase in subcutaneous and intramuscular fat.
Our bone mineral density decreases.
Our bodies more quickly store carbohydrates as fat.
We have a reduced sensitivity to the benefits of exercise, therefore we need to approach things differently to simulate muscle growth and lean mass.
But ladies, have no fear! I am pleased to say that there are changes we can make to our routines to counterbalance the perimenopausal and menopausal changes we are experiencing in our bodies. Below are my recommendations for women in this stage of life.
1. Lift heavy stuff!
As we enter perimenopausal and menopausal years, it becomes important to lift heavier weights. Body weight exercises are great for functional movement and certainly help keep us strong, but lifting heavier weights helps us build lean muscle mass and reduce subcutaneous fat and intramuscular fat. Lifting also helps to build strong bones. If you are not lifting now, I do encourage you to seek out assistance from a trainer to make sure your form is good, which will prevent injury. Start with light weights and work your way up slowly. Some of my favorite exercises for lifting heavy are chest press, rows, shoulder press, bicep curls, squats and lunges.
2. Jump Around!
Adding some plyometric exercises to our workouts is great for stimulating muscle protein synthesis and helping to building bone density. Check out some of my favorites here. If you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis or osteopenia, you should consult a physician before beginning this kind of exercise. As with weight lifting, correct form is imperative, so I encourage you to meet with a fitness professional.
3. Up the Protein and Complex Carbs
During menopause, our bodies become more sensitive to total carbohydrates. It will become increasingly important to increase lean proteins into our diet. One way to boost protein consumption is to add it to a morning smoothie.
My favorite protein powder is the Bob’s Red Mill chocolate nutritional booster. It makes a yummy chocolate, banana, peanut butter smoothie that is great for the morning. Other great ideas for protein include a yogurt bowl with Greek yogurt, sliced almonds and raspberries, or a Dr. Stacy Sims omelet made with 1 egg, 2 egg whites, chicken apple sausage, spinach and goat cheese.
In 2020, let’s drop our worries about being skinny, and instead commit to creating strong, mindful, and fit bodies, no matter our age. Take things one day at time and slowly introduce new habits to help you achieve your goals. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if I can be supportive in any way at all. I firmly believe that together, women can do great things. Sending love and warm wishes for an incredible year.
