10 Tips on Staying Fit Through Menopause – What to Expect & How to Cope.

*Correction: Where Cat says “apple will become more pear shaped”, she meant to say “pear will become more apple shaped”.

Although many sail through it, Cat Kom and Bethany are here to prepare you for the inevitable life change with quick and inspirational menopausal advice!

Menopause is defined as having no menstrual periods for a year and causes various changes to your body due to reduced production of estrogen and progesterone in your ovaries. The average woman goes through menopause somewhere between the ages of 48-55, but start preparing early since all that you do now can impact how intense the symptoms are and how your body is affected. Outplay and outlast the next chapter of your life by following these 10 quick tips!

1: Focus on your nutrition to help your body keep hormones balanced. Cholesterol is known to spike during the years surrounding your ever approaching menopause therefore eat right by consistently including vegetables and fruit in your diet and ward off recipes and foods high in sodium.

2: Recent studies found that middle aged women who engaged in aerobic exercises four times per week for six months experienced fewer mood swings, reduced night sweats and less irritability compared with those who didn’t. Exercise can be utilized as a relaxation technique during this frazzled time since it’s known to reduce stress chemicals like cortisol and adrenaline.

3: Menopause can be a great stress but it really doesn’t have to be. Find new hobbies, tap into meditation exercises and discover new joys this new phase has to offer. Like…finally not having any more periods?

4: Become your healthiest by averting all your detrimental habits like smoking, drinking and indulging in fast food. Women who are mindful of their well-being before menopause are more likely to maintain a reasonable weight and reduce their risk of potential diseases after the change.

5: Ignore those who cringe at the mere mention of the word “menopause.” Negative perceptions that others have may impact women who are transitioning by worrying themselves sick and increasing the frequency of their symptoms. That reminder of “getting older” can cause emotional stress and depression that manifests itself physically so avoiding pessimistic outlooks is critical to your menopausal survival.

6: Stay positive by busying yourself and developing healthy habits. Uplift yourself by exercising to release feel-good endorphins and play your carbs right in order to produce the happy brain chemical, serotonin. Surround yourself with positive people and get out of the house once in a while to unearth beauty in the little things!

7: Dress in layers for those unexpected hot flashes and sleepless nights. One minute you’re on fire and the next you’re freezing so keep that sweater close and figure out tactical ways to take it off without waking up your partner!

8: Sleeping on menopause during the night may feel like an impossible dream. In order to avoid a hot flash or night sweats, keep your room temperature comfortable to low and wear breathable sleepwear to keep cool.

9: Laugh a little. Laughter is the best medicine and comes with short and long term advantages. Laughing regulates those stress levels so make sure to dedicate time to your favorite sit com. Besides, in circumstances like this, it’ll help to keep a good sense of humor, huh.

10: Last but not least, keep your family and those close to you informed about the journey you are about to partake in. We take our emotions out on the people we love most so for them to understand what place you’re coming from, help them understand by providing instructional guide books and articles on menopause.

With these simple steps, you’ll learn how to navigate safely through menopause and beyond.

And just remember, menopause is a process, not an illness so let’s all learn how to treat it as such!