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"Menopause Survival Tips"

By Diane Catrambone

Menopause is a time filled with physical and spiritual change. It’s hardly the time for strict dieting and being over critical of yourself. Don’t you have enough going on already? It’s enough to deal with the emotional changes (sometimes every hour on the hour) without having to think about adhering to a strict diet and exercise plan. Having said that, it is extremely helpful to keep excellent eating and exercise habits because that will help you eliminate many of the problems you will experience during menopause. You will also form the foundation for a healthy future when you are finally free of menopausal symptoms.

Exercise does more than boost your mood and energy level. It also has a long lasting calming effect. You don’t have to have a lot of fancy equipment to exercise. What you do need is an accountability system. Exercising for a little as 30 minutes per day will make you feel calmer and more in control of your life. Thinking about exercising each day, and then blowing it off, will make you feel even more fuzzy and moody than you already are. Do not blow exercise off. It may save your life. It will certainly make those who live with you much happier! Be accountable for your efforts, and if you can’t do that for yourself, hire a personal trainer to get your through this phase of your life.

While you are going through the menopause phase, you might as well experiment with what types of exercise really jazz your particular biomechanical makeup. Strength training is of the utmost importance for so many reasons, but you don’t have to hit the weights like some juiced up body builder. You are most likely experiencing some laxity in your joints and also some joint and ligament discomfort. Determine the correct course of action for your particular body type by enlisting the help of a qualified personal trainer. The last thing you need now is more pain and discomfort. Your strength training program should be written to ensure steady gains in muscle strength while protecting the joints and minimizing muscle onset soreness. As I said, you have enough to deal with every day, and every day is a mystery!

Aerobics are also a key component in your menopausal exercise regime. However, don’t engage in more than 30 minutes per day unless your particular form of aerobic activity is also giving you stress management benefits. Utilize aerobic activity to keep your heart strong and your blood pressure in check, 20 minutes 3 to 4 times per week of pretty intense aerobic activity should do it for you.

Lastly, get yourself involved in some type of stress management activity. Try Yoga, Tai Chi, or Chi Gung. Your moods are swinging all over the place. Your mind can’t stay on one subject for more than 30 seconds. You re most likely enjoying short term memory loss and fuzzy thinking. Being involved in this type of activity will feed your mind and soul and help your spirit to return to a place of balance and serenity, even if it’s only for 1 hour! Take whatever you can get!

Here’s the thing. Whatever you do, do it well and be free of guilt that you should be doing more. A program that is consistently and persistently leading you to make better life choices will guarantee that you exit this phase in your life strong, healthy and ready to take on the world!

About the Author:

Diane Catrambone, Owner of Fitness Together in Chester Springs, PA has been a personal fitness and nutritional coach for over 20 years. Visit her website at www.ftchestersprings.com