For what it’s worth, I’m 53, post-menopausal, weight-lifter, Coach, woman. I, much like Tammy, who is the creator of Lifting My Spirits blog, have been doing this weight-lifting thing for a while now. I was over-joyed to see this Guest Blog written by another one of my favorite bloggers Colin DeWaay. Much like he talks about in his guest blog, there’s not a ton of research on women and menopause, not actual legit research. That being said, I can only speak from my own experiences thus far.
I wanted to share this guest post with my readers because Colin DeWaay is a man, a Coach, a researcher, and writer. This is a really good read for all of you men out there who’s wives who are pre- or post-menopausal. And for you men out there who just need to know for future reference.
First off, life doesn’t end when menopause begins. I’m not going to lie, it’s hard, but, it’s manageable. And when I say manageable, it’s manageable when you are doing the right things. Things which are within YOUR control and those things are eating right and getting some good exercise everyday. Secondly, manage your stress levels. I know, easier said than done. Well, no-one is going to do it for you, so start with doing a mind-body scan for 5 minutes every morning. If you need guided meditation there plenty of options like this 5 Minute Body Scan Elisha Goldstein you can then begin to identify and deal with the things causing you the most stress.
If you aren’t a lifter, find a coach. We are worth our fee’s to get you comfortable in the gym and with yourself lifting at any age.
Many menopausal women are empty nesters or who will soon be. Why not spend some time investing in your own quality of life? At first your body will push back, be sore, refuse to do things, but with the right Coach, you will go far beyond where you think you can.
Remember, you are never too old to reach for amazing.
Photo Credit the internet of photos of Ernestine Sheppard the oldest female bodybuilder. If you’ve never heard of her, google her, she will inspire you to get up and get moving.