Menopause is a several year process. If you have ever played with a toy top you know that it spins fast and steady and then as it slows, it begins to wobble and then it stops spinning. You have been like that top, spinning through your life with steady hormones. Then those hormones are not dependable and like the top as it slows, they wobble. Finally they stop and so does your menstrual cycle. This usually happens between ages 45-55 for the majority of women.
The major complaints of women during this process are:
Gaining Weight
Poor Sleep
Changes in Libido
Fears about health issues
Weight gain is not inevitable. You can control your weight by implementing some strategies. These are aimed at creating some habits you do not have that will keep you out of trouble from accumulation of excess fat.
These strategies are aimed at controlling your blood levels of Insulin, Cortisol, Adrenaline and the neuro-transmitter Norepinephrine.
Tips on doing this are:
avoid sugars, especially corn syrup. Try to limit them to just weekends and then just a small amount.
Make eating an event. Do not eat standing up, do not do anything else and eat like drive, watch TV or work.
Keep your portions small. Carbohydrate containing foods are cheap and we are served large portions. Do not think you have to eat all you are served. Save it for another time or just throw it away.
Throwing out food is not a waste, over eating is a waste of your life, it shortens the enjoyment of it.
Muscle is your friend, keep yours lean and strong.
Exercise is good for you. It does not have to be in a gym and does not have to take hours. Running on the treadmill is a waste and increases adrenaline and cortisol. These lead you to store fat. Too much high level exertion for too long is likely to stimulate those hormones.
Here are tips to avoid this:
Exercise slow if you are going to go long. Think Walking fast as your aerobic exercise. Think about the hardest workout of your life. One that made you sick or very sore or both. Call that maximum exertion. Stay at 60% of maximum for walking.
You have an energy system that works for only a few seconds. It is used for a burst of activity like jumping onto a box or lifting something heavy for a few seconds. You can do exercise for 5 minutes in which you lift heavy weights one to three times using different muscle groups. Heavy is relative. It is defined by your strength.
The third system is for activity lasting up to 5 minutes. Running all out for 15, 20 or 50 meters/yards is an example. Running up a flight of steps is another. One activity I recommend is to run up a flight of steps in a hotel, walk down the hall to the next stairway run up to the next floor until you have done this up 5 flights of steps, then take the elevator down. A typical workout of this type lasts 15 to 20 minutes.
Sleep is dependent upon three things.
a regular bedtime and wake up time
having a wind downtime with low lights the last hour before sleep
not absorbing any adrenaline enhancing thoughts before bed - no intense movies and no news shows for 2 hours before bedtime
Being strong, flexible and having good endurance enhances your sleep, your brain function, and your resistance to all sorts of illnesses. The last thing is to eat right. What kinds of food should you eat? Here is a simple set of rules, 14 ounces a day of vegetables, 7 ounces a day of whole fruits and 6 ounces a day of meat or meat equivalents like eggs, cheese or nut butter (sorry vegetarians I am not your guy). If you should be really small, reduce the portions. It is not hard to know, just to implement.
Keep your self talk strong, positive and expectant of good results.
We would like to help you with self talk, your diet and your exercise program during menopause. Our goal is to connect you with expert advice. If you want to sample our services, go to http://idoladominoqq.com and sign up for our newsletter, our free booklet on 30 tips for weight control and a free 4 week membership to our site for women in menopause and pre-menopause. You can find our Female Menopause Mentors fan page on Facebook also.
