If you’ve reached your 40s and suddenly feel as though the things that always worked for your body aren’t working anymore, you’re certainly not alone.
Perhaps your weight has started creeping up, your waist feels thicker, or you’re noticing more fat around your middle despite eating and exercising much as you always have.
It can be incredibly frustrating. But menopause isn’t simply a case of “your metabolism has stopped working.” There’s much more going on.
As we move through perimenopause and menopause, levels of hormones including oestrogen fluctuate and eventually decline. These hormonal changes can influence body composition and fat distribution, with women often noticing a greater tendency to carry fat around the abdomen.
At the same time, we naturally begin to lose muscle as we age unless we’re actively working to preserve it. Because muscle is metabolically active tissue, maintaining it becomes increasingly important.
This is one reason strength training becomes such a valuable tool during midlife.
Menopause often arrives during an incredibly busy period of life.
Careers, children, ageing parents, relationships, disrupted sleep, stress and simply having too much to do can all affect how we look after ourselves.
Poor sleep can leave us hungrier and craving quick-energy foods. Stress can make exercise feel like another chore. We may move less without even noticing it.
Suddenly, lots of relatively small changes can add up.
And this is exactly why simply telling a menopausal woman to “eat less and exercise more” isn’t particularly helpful.
When our body changes, it’s tempting to drastically reduce calories and increase cardio.
But constantly eating less and training harder isn’t necessarily the answer.
Instead, think about nourishing and strengthening your body.
Prioritise protein, vegetables, fruit, fibre and nutritious whole foods. Include carbohydrates and healthy fats rather than unnecessarily eliminating entire food groups.
Resistance training can help preserve and build muscle, support bone health, improve physical function and positively influence body composition — all particularly important as we get older.
Another important mindset shift during menopause is recognising that body weight isn’t the only measure of progress.
A woman can remain exactly the same weight while becoming stronger, increasing muscle and reducing body fat.
Am I stronger? Do my clothes fit differently? Do I have more energy? Am I sleeping better? Is my fitness improving? Do I feel healthier?
Those victories matter too.
Your body hasn’t failed you
Your body may be changing, but that doesn’t mean you need to spend the next chapter of your life fighting against it.
At Ferocia Health & Fitness, we believe menopause is a time to focus less on making our bodies as small as possible and more on becoming strong, well-nourished, healthy and confident.
If you’re confused about what to eat or how to train during this stage of life, our Personalised Nutrition Strategy and Goal Focused Training Programs are designed around your individual starting point, lifestyle and goals.
Strong body. Strong mind. Your next chapter can be your strongest yet.
