Hello, I've been in peri for awhile and didn't realize it until the hot flashes hit....then I knew something was wrong! I ordered the Revival and started with the shakes and bars. Still too early to tell on that. Just wondering how many of you ladies think exercise helps with menopause?? I've always tried to find time to exercise but now it seems a struggle to do it. Right now I'd do exercise everyday if it gave me some energy back. Thanks.

I think it makes everything better! I know this logically but it's still hard to drag my body out of bed to do!!!

I also thinks that it helps. I've been slacking a little bit lately because of work and I can tell the difference. My anxiety has gotten a little worse. It's a nice day out today, so I am going to get some exercise.

Exercise is a wonderful way to feel better. You're right though, its hard to find the energy to do it regularly. I have to force myself too, but I've made it a mandatory part of my day to do something ... and always feel better for having done it.

This is a time when you have to be really good to yourself. Exercise is an important part. I haven't really exercised in two weeks, and boy do I feel sluggish. I also can't seem to lose the 5 pounds I gained over the holidays, and I regret being lax about exercising. I think it's also very easy in winter to stay indoors and eat warm comfort foods while watching TV. It's so easy to be a couch potato right now.

But, spring is around the corner, and as soon as I get over this cold, I plan to get back with the program.

Ok. Here I go.

I really mean it this time.

Sigh.


WriterMom

I stayed off my treadmill for almost 3 years...just wasn't up to using it due to peri and some other health and family issues.

I resolved to start using it again, and have been using it over 3 weeks now...almost every day...and I can't believe how much better I feel mentally and physically! I am also sleeping better at night. Also, by working out and watching what I eat, I have lost 8 pounds in 3 weeks also! It is a start!

Hugs,
Di

Here's something I've been doing lately. It doesn't take much time out of your day.

Set off walking briskly in one direction. Time it for exactly 10 minutes. Then turn around and walk back.

Voila - a 20 minute brisk walk. Good for everything! And because it's only 20 minutes, you can do it in a lunch hour... in fact lunch hour is the best time to do it!

It doesn't involve getting dressed up in special clothes or going to a specially equipped place or anything that most of us can't be bothered to do. Just start from where you are and finish back there.

I've also discovered all kinds of interesting places within 10 minutes walk of my place of work.

Could not function without some kind of movement!
I practice yoga twice a week for 1 1/2 hours and on my days off I either power walk with my dog for an hour or jump on the treadmill if the weather's not great.
I love it, I need it and it helps me to sleep better at night.
I'm working on trying to be more diligent on the weekends. It's hard not to lounge around drinking coffee and reading the papers until noon sometimes.
Excercise really helps my frame of mind too.

Since having these perimenopause symptoms I haven't had any desire to work out. As a result my health suffered, gained weight and blood pressure got higher. For the last few weeks I have decided to do 10 miutes a day of some form of exercise. Usually when I start and get to my 10 minutes I decide to keep on and end up with a full 30 to 45 minute workout. My health has improved as well as my moods. There are some days when 10 minutes are enough, and on those days I don't feel bad about stopping. I just try again the next day.

I think that you have found the best way to get going! I do the same thing. I tell myself that if I just do 10 minutes, it's no big deal. More often than not, once I get going I always want to do more.

I also do yoga twice a week for 90 minutes. It is a gentle class and I always feel great afterwards.

I wouldn't sleep at all if I didn't do something everyday.

inthemoment

Absolutely exercise helps!

Only don't overdo it if you are not used to it or have high cortisol levels (like I had...I exercised too hard and fatigued myself too much)....begin by doing brisk walks and work your way up from there.

I now exercise almost every day....I run 3 x a week for 30 minutes...a long walk with friends (1 hour) once a week, and go to the gym to do strength training and heart raising exercises 2 x a week....I feel SO much healthier and have increased energy levels.

I actually feel fitter than I ever did....!!!

If I can't get out (like today, which is a snow day and my daughter is at home!)...then I do sit ups, push ups and use a skipping rope and do several 1 minute intervals, having home weights or a treadmill is a big advantage....I don't have a treadmill as I would rather run outside, but I do see it's advantage!

Happy exercising!

Caz

Yes, yes, yes. If you are otherwise healthy, exercise will help you with menopause and beyond. And, aside from enjoying a brisk walk on a cool day, this is coming from a lifelong LAZY human being who only started working out about 5 years ago, and even then with every excuse known to mankind to avoid any continuity (it's raining, I have a headache, I didn't sleep well, my back hurts, I don't have time blah blah blah). The key is to break through that wall of momentary resistance and to make yourself start somewhere. You will feel the payback very quickly. You will feel alive, refreshed, and connected. You will also feel in more command, like a sense of accomplishment on an otherwise crummy day. You'll thank yourself afterward. The key is to identify the roadblocks so that exercise can be automatic, like brushing your teeth or something. Everyone can find time to do a few stretches and sit-ups at home, to walk a little further and faster every day, to lift a little weight. Aside from what we immediately feel with exercise, think of it as in investment in your body for now and into the future: Your muscle strength, balance, coordination, flexibility, endurance, heart/bone health and sense of well-being. Again, I am astonishingly LAZY, but I know exercise is what bodies are meant to do and have never regretted it, even when I hate doing it. Start somewhere; the energy will follow. No downside. Off my soapbox...
GK

gillK, you have really hit the proverbial nail exactly right. I think the hardest part about exercising is all of the mental arguing about whether or not to do it. I don't think my mental arguing will ever stop, but you can get used to the onset of the excuses in your mind and bulldoze through them. That's what I did. I'm trying to speed walk 4 miles in an hour and that may sound pretty mild to some of the marathon runners, but it's a goal for me and one I'm gradually attaining through sheer stubbornness. I did join a fitness center, and I know that some cannot afford anything like this right now, but it's my one expense and since I bring a lunch from home every day and don't spend much money on anything else, I allow myself the expense of the membership. It's really paid off. I started walking at a shopping mall on my lunch hour and that was more pleasant than going to the fitness center. I loved to go to the mall--the sun came through the skylights and the air was so fresh with perfumes from the perfume stores and coffee shops, etc., plus I just liked looking in the windows as I went by. Then we moved at my work and there was no longer a mall close by. I searched for fitness centers and was lucky enough to find one just about three minutes away from my work. That was over two years ago, and now I go every lunch hour except Friday, which is my day off from exercising. I remember about a year ago when I did not think I could get to 3 miles in an hour, and now I'm trying for 4 miles. And it really is addicting--if I don't walk for a few days, I just have to get out and do it. When the weather is warmer, I go with my husband and my two dogs on nature trails on the weekends and I love that. I guess I could just buy a treadmill to use at home, but a few of my friends admit that they bought one and don't use it like they thought they would, due to the mental arguing; no time, don't feel good today, etc. So having one at home did not help them. There is not a day that I don't start the arguing when it's time to go to the fitness center, but I just go anyway and then once I'm walking I'm glad I did it.

This is my favorite subject! At age 50, I'm in the best shape of my life. I started an exercise routine on March 7, 2002, and in that time have exercised 1,447 times! It helps me to keep an exercise log in my diary. I workout by myself as I like to totally focus on what I'm doing. Music is essential, I love my ipod. Well, I brought home six menopause books from the library recently, and thought I would share a couple items about exercise and hot flashes. (I have never had a hot flash during the day, knock on wood!)


The Change Before the Change, by Laura E. Corio, M.D., page 54

"Exercise: The burn of a good workout can also help alleviate the burn of hot flashes. The frequency of hot flashes may be affected by levels of circulating opiates, brain chemicals that increase feelings of vitality and are responsible for the runner's high some runners experience Decreasing estrogen lowers your opiate levels, which in turn raise your norepinephrine and increase your hot flashes. To counteract this, vigorous aerobic exercise during perimenopause boosts your production of opiates.
A study of over 1,600 Swedish women found hot flashes to be only half as common among those who were physically active as among those in the control group. For this reason, as well as for weight maintenance and cardiovascular health, I recommend patients do at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise three times a week."

Dr. Susan Love's Menopause and Hormone Book, page 184
..."the second study found that only 6 percent of physically active women have hot flashes, compared with 25 percent of women who don't exercise regularly. (4) Many women have suggested that they "walked their way through menopause," and I'd certainly recommend trying exercise -- it's got so many benefits to offer and little downside."


jem (I have experienced the "runner's high" It's hard to explain - here goes: while running, I feel like I could just start to do cartwheels or take off flying. It's like I'm capable of anything. Sometimes, the "high" lasts for a couple hours. Love it!)

Runr, I envy you the runner's high. I've heard about it but it never happens to me. I can be sweating bullets on the treadmill with race walking but all I can do is watch the clock and the minutes crawling by until I can have a "rest" period of slower walking, then I push it up again. The workout is always hard and my hair is always dripping wet when I'm done. At best I may get into what I call a "rolling walk," and I'm going along and keeping up okay, but I never feel any sort of high.

I know I really should try to get some music, because that would make all the difference. The background music they play at the fitness center is really inappropriate for race walking or running, I think. And I can barely hear it most of the time. There's a lot of really good walking music like the high tech electronic stuff with a strong beat, and I'm sure I'd forget all about how hard it is to keep up the speed if I could listen to music. My husband has an iPod but I've never figured out how it works, and those silly ear bud things never stay in my ears.

Thanks for the good info about hot flashes. I was not aware that exercise could help lessen their effect. I wish I had some of those circulating opiates though, LOL.

CSugar,
Before you get too envious, the true runner's high/cartwheel feeling only happens to me when I am outside running on wooded trails. Weird, huh? If I'm running on my gym's inside track, I don't notice any "high" while I'm there, but I can feel somewhat euphoric when I leave the gym, but that's only after I have done sprinting/speed work, not a steady paced cardio workout. I haven't figured it out. I suppose my brain only lets loose when I'm out in nature?! I know it must sound weird to some! My brother runs much more than I (marathons) and has never experienced runner's high, but then he never does sprints, only distance running.

It sounds like you are getting an awesome cardio workout! I highly recommend that you try out your husband's iPod. Is there someone who can explain to you how to use it? You can get lots of info from the Apple website. Also, since the ear buds don't fit your ears, why not try headphones that clip over the ear or that have a over the head band? I love to run to fast paced classic rock, heavy metal, and alternative. I have play lists for warm ups, sprints, steady paced, and strength training. I have around 800 songs to choose from! It helps that I have two teenagers who are always downloading from iTunes. I could not do the workouts that I do without music!

Keep up all that race walking!

jem

Runr, thanks for the great ideas regarding the iPod, etc. I know I would do much better if I could listen to my own music choices instead of either what they play at the gym or trying to focus on the televisions. I can totally relate to how you feel when you're running outside on wooded trails. I LOVE to be outside and have two dogs that I take out whenever I can. There is something spiritual and healing about being with my dogs and watching them enjoy themselves as they run and walk and check things out. I can go for about two hours and not get tired, but my husband does get tired more quickly and he always wants to turn back after an hour or so. I feel like I could do it all day! So if I can maintain a speed on the treadmill of 4.2 for, say, 45 minutes, what is your opinion of that--is that good, fair, or poor? I also do incline work; after I walk for about 40 minutes with the incline at 1.0, I drop the speed to about 3.7 and up the incline to 6.0. No holding on! I can really feel the muscles pulling in my legs, but it's a good feeling. Am I doing okay? I'm honored to know you, a real runner! I've always had so much admiration for people like that. My dream is to run a marathon some day, but it's a distant dream. My daughter completed the Chicago Marathon some years ago and it's always been a dream of mine to one day do that myself, but I'm 57 so I don't know if age is any kind of detriment. Like you, I can say I'm in better shape now that meno is done than I ever was when I was in my 30s.

About the runner's high, I don't run but I do get a wonderful high from the treadmill. I set the incline to 7.0 and go at around 3.7 mph for 20 minutes, then up to full tilt of 11% at 2.2 mph for six minutes, then back to 7.0/3.7 until 40 minutes. I'm just 'doing cardio' for around 28 minutes, but from there I get to a state of absolute euphoria which is part of my reward for dragging myself there. I never regret it. Definitelyput your music in your ears at a safe volume and tune out the greater gym surroundings. Focus inward to the music, your beautiful body, your beautiful body's mechanics from head to toe, and the rhythm and depth of your breathing. These senses of body, music, breathing, oxygen etc will link together to take you to a wonderful place. I would just be drudging to the clock, too, without my music, the detachment from the surroundings, attention and thanks to my body's movements and good, solid oxygen-for-you, dear body, breathing. I bet you'll feel much better with music. Use it to help connect with the workings of your muscles and breathing, you'll see. Good luck.

Wow, I wish I felt the same way about exercise as some of you ladies. I do the treadmill at least 4 times a week and try to do it more then that most weeks. I start out walking fast (4.4) or at least fast for me and then after about 10 minutes I jog (5.1) for awhile. I walk for awhile and then jog for awhile for about an hour. I could never never do it without my ipod. I have a speaker that I put my ipod on so I can play the music way too loud. I hate every minute of it but know I need to do it. When I'm done the only thing I feel is relief that it is over for the day.

Wow, I thought I was doing so well, but I'm put to shame by these numbers: inclines of 7.0 and (good grief!) 11.0???? I can't even imagine being at an incline of 11.0 GillK, you have certainly given me something to try for. Maybe I'll try it to see if I get into the euphoric state, but as you advised I definitely need the music so will have to figure out my husband's iPod. And Virginia, 4.4 is really fast; I've never been up that high. I think I did 4.3 but was huffing and puffing so much I had to put it down again. Sometimes I get waves of nausea and that scares me. I admire you for jogging; I don't care for jogging myself. Well, thank you for these numbers as I can see I have a long way to go but that is okay; I need a good kick in the butt sometimes, LOL!

Before you imagine that I am some kind of wonder woman, I assure you, it ain't so. I've had to work up to that long, six minutes at 11%. The thing that makes it possible/endurable is really, really focusing on my breathing. I started doing that 11% interval with one minute, then two, and so on. I put my torso forward a bit and hold onto the bar. I pretend I'm climbing up a mountain and that there's a cash prize waiting at the summit. With music cheering me on. For me, the key is music I love, going inward to connect with my body, and super-focus on breathing. Also, buckets of water. I haven't been to the gym for awhile due to vertigo and a slight injury. When I return, I'll have to backtrack a bit. I hate going there and make up excuses to avoid it. But once I am done with a workout or have built up to an unbroken every-other-day stretch for about 6 weeks, I feel great in mind, body and spirit and realize the sense of it all. I am convinced the music has something to do with it. And trust me, a lifelong, physical exertion slug is writing this. I was the one in high school PE who pretended to have cramps to get out of even walking around the track. I think that some injuries, illnesses and the rigors of peri made me listen to my body and to finally give it what it's meant to do. If you are otherwise healthy, crank up some of your favorite music, tune out the gym surroundings, hydrate, breathe, and go! for!! it!!! I'll bet your body will be saying thank-you before long.

Forgot. This message made possible by the generous support of estrogen and testosterone.
GK

GillK, you're an inspiration! I will try and do what you have suggested, and I know it takes a long time to get where you are. I would make up excuses about going, too, but I tell myself I'm paying for it so I have to go. It's funny because I will see people there for a few months, quite regularly, and then all of a sudden I never see them again! My husband said maybe they just start going at a different time than me, but I suspect that some of them just start making excuses, too. It is never easy, is it?

It's never easy, until one accepts the equation. Bodies are designed to move with nourishment in and energy out. Here's what I tell myself when I get unmotivated: I've been fat and unhealthy. I've been fit and well. Fit and well is better, way better, so, get off your fatty acids and into the gym. I also tell myself to 'go commit aerobicide'.

Even when I hate being there, banging away, am never sorry after the fact and will return as soon as my vertigo fades, hassling all the way but happy when I'm done. I've gone in the early morning or late afternoon for stretches at a time. When I switch the time, I see the regulars and new faces. All sorts of things. Here's an idea - put a circle on the calendar with # of minutes each trip. Tally the minutes each month, adding the prior month's total. You can figure out your distance and, after a while when you're driving somewhere, check the odometer to see just how far you've gone, one treadmill-trudge at a time. It's rewarding.

I have heard many experts say that walking is better for you then jogging. I guess jogging can make a mess of your knees. I jog on the treadmill just to mix things up a bit. I would much rather jog then use the incline. I'm sure it would be better if I did the incline thing to but I hate that. The incline makes me huff and puff

LOL, gillK, a very good idea! I actually already did the odometer thing! The treadmill measures how many miles I do at a time, so one day I just HAD to drive in the car to see how far I'd gone.

Do you have a sort of "mantra" word when you're banging away on the treadmill? Mine is "nomenclature." I know that maybe you never heard that word before; it's not really common. I repeat it to myself over and over to keep going. You can look up the definition; nomenclature is verbage that's used for a certain class of things, like the nomenclature for baking, let's say, would be "knead," "marinate," "stir," etc. The nomenclature for auto mechanics would be "rings," "plugs," "master cylinder," etc. I heard the word and it has a kind of four-syllable rhythm to it.

Virginia, I really don't like the incline at all! I can do a fair speed level but if I add any incline to that, I'm sweating bullets. I do think you are right that jogging is harder on knees than walking. I just don't like the feeling of jogging; I'd rather walk fast.

I do have a sort of mantra, but it's not a word. More of a ritual and then sort of journey inward. When I push 'start' on the treadmill, I quietly say 'here we go' to my legs and lungs and spend a couple of minutes at low speed w/o music to do a body check to make sure I am in tune with the 'contributors' to the effort. Then I make sure I am aware of my body's movements, part by part, starting by looking down at the rhythm of my feet pacing on the conveyor belt, and then giving a momentary check upward to my ankles, calves, quads, etc all the way up to my head. I feel all the parts contributing and then I add in my lungs to 'feed' everything. Then I take care of the inside of my head. I turn on the music and turn up the speed, focusing on the pounding of my feet in time with the music and then feeling my heartbeat and breathing working together. Pretty soon, I am locked into the music, the feet going along beneath me, heartbeat and breathing. The beat of all the music I play is at the pace of the treadmill, give or take.

After the treadmill, I do weights and then focus completely on bodily position, mechanics and breathing. I started doing this to avoid injury, but it morphed into a ritual that puts me in better connection with my body. On workout days when I am laying in bed, before sleep, I'll go flat on my back and breathe deeply, repeating my 'body check' and doing a tiny little slow-motion flex of everything I used at the gym, starting at my feet, going all the way to the top of my head, and ending with my lungs and heartbeat. I put my hands over my chest to feel my heartbeat the whole time. I say something like 'we did it' or 'thank you' as I go.

When you get pumped-up music into your ears that approximates the pace of your treadmill speed, I don't think 'nomenclature' will be your word somehow. The music will push you along instead. Maybe you could find something that connects you to your body, like 'breathe', or 'moving', or 'heartbeat'? Whatever works. For me, making a full-body connection with musical tie-in really is the ticket. I think we all have to do whatever works. Also, if you keep track of miles, start keeping track of weights. That's a kick. You can drive by a utility truck one day and say, 'hey, I lifted that!'
Good luck.

CSugar.
I'm glad that you got some great replies to your questions regarding treadmill work. I'm not too familiar with treadmills, my gym doesn't have them! I just wanted to add something for what it's worth! I don't think you should get too hung up on the treadmill's incline setting and your speed. It sounds like you are getting a decent cardio workout based on the time of 45 minutes, and you're sweating, and feeling a burn in your legs. I say, just go by how you feel. If you don't like incline work on the treadmill, how about walking some hills outside? However, if you do have the goal of increasing the treadmill incline, do you do any strength training? Lunges and squats would build up your quads to give you more strength for the higher inclines.

Thanks for being honored by my status of "real runner" That's sweet! Not sure if I fit the definition, though. The most I have run without stopping is 3 miles! I don't have the endurance. I mostly do sprinting when I'm at the gym. When I run outside, I have to take walking breaks about every 10 minutes. Anyway, it's not too late for you to train for a marathon. Check out the Runner's World website or read their magazine, or Runner's Time magazine for running tips. Maybe you could just think about running a 5K some day? I might do that this summer.

gillK: I really enjoyed your postings about how your focus on the status of your entire body during exercise. I'm going to try it! I like your exercise style. I bet you don't like being interrupted during a cardio workout! That's how I am.

Virginia: I don't think jogging is bad on your knees as long as your legs are strong from strength training and you aren't carrying too much extra weight! Every 1 pound of added weight is equivalent to 5 pounds on the knees. (that's why I'm trying to loose the 4 pounds I've put on over the winter

Keep up the good work everybody!

jem

I couldn't agree more about how good exercise makes me feel. If you would have told me a year ago that I would be working out with a trainer twice a week and doing cardio 5 times a week, I would have thought you were nuts. I just turned 50 and I have been working out for 36 weeks. Started weight watchers in Nov 2007, lost 18 pounds then started at the gym and I have lost another 10 pounds. No longer doing weight watchers, but I have a bodybugg which helps you count how many calories you are burning and logging your food I think it is just a slow process now, had 1/2 my thyroid removed 3 years ago, but still don't need medication. Just keep at it, I feel so much better and no longer need high blood pressure medicine. Keep up the good work!

Blue

way to go ladies........I wish I could get my mind set on exercising.........I have a lot of equipment and cds but never seem to be able to start ........and I know it would help me mentally.........I need someone to come and kick me in the butt and get me exercising!!.......Valerie