At the age of 35, you are probably not thinking about menopause yet, but this is definitely a time when you need to be thinking about your 'hormonal health' for the sake of your future self.
From the age of about 35+ women can begin to see changes in their menstrual cycle that are associated with perimenopause. So let's start by taking a look at menopause and perimenopause and what they mean for you.
(Image: Simone van der Koelen - Unsplash)
WHAT IS MENOPAUSE?
Menopause is the point in time when a woman has had no periods for 12 consecutive months. In the industrialised west, menopause generally occurs at about 52 years of age. Prior to menopause from about 35 years of age, fluctuating changes in your menstrual cycle are generally referred to as perimenopause.
WHAT IS PERIMENOPAUSE?
Perimenopause is the time in a woman’s life, generally after the age of 35, when she may begin to notice changes in her menstrual cycle. During perimenopause, women may notice that they are gaining weight, especially around the belly, have heavier or lighter periods (or both), may skip a period here and there, may experience mood swings, irritability, breast tenderness and hot flashes.
EXERCISE & PERIMENOPAUSE
It can be really tempting to eat less and exercise more when perimenopause and menopause weight gain kicks in. If you are tired all the time, not sleeping very well and exercising hard a lot of the time (or maybe not at all), you could be making it more difficult for yourself to lose belly fat. Finding the right balance of exercise that builds strength and supports cardiovascular health will be more supportive of your delicate hormone balance than going hard and tiring yourself out all the time.
Perimenopause and menopause are a normal part of the ageing process in women. The more women know about this time of transition the better prepared they will be. When we understand how to work with our body by exercising, eating and living in a way that is more harmonious to our needs, this is when we will begin to see the changes we are working hard to achieve including weight loss, better sleep and calmer moods.
Want to learn more?
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To you very best health,
Melanie Briony.
Fitness training for women, Newcastle NSW. Fitness over 40.