{"id":8474,"date":"2023-10-30T20:06:27","date_gmt":"2023-10-30T13:06:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=8474"},"modified":"2023-10-30T20:06:27","modified_gmt":"2023-10-30T13:06:27","slug":"how-your-workouts-should-change","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=8474","title":{"rendered":"How Your Workouts Should Change"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"drop-cap text-big text-gray\"> <span class=\"drop-cap__first text-dropcap \">Y<\/span>ou\u2019re experiencing telltale symptoms like hot flashes, irritability, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/sleep-problems-perimenopause\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/sleep-problems-perimenopause\/\">trouble sleeping<\/a>, and weight gain, and even hot ears or itchy breasts. But you\u2019re not old enough to be in menopause, you think\u2014and you\u2019re still getting your monthly cycle, for that matter.<\/div>\n<p>It could be perimenopause, the period before the cessation of your menstruation, says nurse practitioner <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eiaesthetics.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.eiaesthetics.com\">Daniela Ezratty<\/a>, MSN, ACNP-BC, of Ezratty Integrative Aesthetics in Atlanta, where she treats many women of perimenopausal age. Usually, this starts somewhere around age 40, but it can come as early as 35 for some. \u201cPerimenopause is when there\u2019s a drop in estrogen and progesterone, but you\u2019re still getting your period,\u201d she says. Once you\u2019ve stopped having a period for a full year, then you\u2019ve officially entered <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/exercises-during-menopause\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/exercises-during-menopause\/\">menopause<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The changes in your body that come along with perimenopause can be frustrating, and you might be tempted to counteract the symptoms with exercise. But what\u2019s happening on a biological level can\u2019t be controlled by defaulting to the same workouts you might have done in your 20s or early 30s.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn perimenopause and menopause, we lose muscle mass twice as fast as any other time in our life,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.exercisingwell.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.exercisingwell.com\/\">Janet Huehls<\/a>, a clinical exercise physiologist in Paxton, Massachusetts. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t show up on the scale, or in the way that we are moving right away. It\u2019s happening behind the scenes.\u201d But you might feel not as strong as you once did or maybe your body just seems a little more unsteady. Understandably, this can lead to a lot of worry and stress, says Huehls.<\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content \" style=\"\" data-module-init=\"related-content\" data-module-immediate=\"\" v-cloak=\"\">\n<div class=\"related-content__wrapper \" v-cloak=\"\" :class=\"{'is-loaded':isLoaded}\">\n<p> <span class=\"inline pr-6 text-seafoam-dark\">Related Stories<\/span> <\/p>\n<p> <related-content class=\"related-content__links\" parent-article-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/perimenopause-exercise\/\" current-title=\"Why You Need To Change Your Workout Routine in Perimenopause\" current-image=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/GettyImages-perimenopause-and-exercise_418x278_true_70.webp\" v-on:parsely-posts-loaded=\"onPostsLoaded\" start-date=\"2023-04-30\" tag=\"div\" inline-template=\"\" url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/perimenopause-exercise\/\" secret=\"w5ztterVB03LGZJLfXS0hf3EvQBuFFIWew9hmVQxthU\" apikey=\"wellandgood.com\" limit=\"3\"> <\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"related-content__card mb-[10px] sm:mb-[20px]\" :class=\"{'related-content__card--full':posts.length === 1}\" v-for=\"(post, key) in posts\"> <a v-on:click.prevent=\"trackLinkGA($event, key)\" :href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/perimenopause-exercise\/post.url\" data-url-source=\"related-content\" class=\"related-content__link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content__card--image bg-tan\" :style=\"{ backgroundImage: 'url(' + post.image_url + ')' }\"> <img :src=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/perimenopause-exercise\/post.image_url\" :alt=\"post.title\"\/> <\/div>\n<p> <\/a>  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <\/related-content> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Fortunately, there <em>are<\/em> ways to use working out to your advantage, if you take the right approach.<\/p>\n<h2>Reset your expectations<\/h2>\n<p>The late 30s and early 40s are a time when a lot is often going on in your personal life, points out Huehls. You might be caring for small children, helping aging parents, or reaching the peak of a career. It can be extremely stressful to balance it all as your body changes.<\/p>\n<p>It might seem intuitive to try to exercise through this transitional phase to help with mental clarity and health. But before you jumpstart a new fitness routine, you\u2019ll want to reset your expectations.<\/p>\n<p>One trap Huehls often sees is that it\u2019s easy to get caught up in the pervasive athletic mindset, which she acknowledges is very appealing. \u201cWe think that If I push harder, I\u2019ll go faster, I\u2019ll get better results because that works in other areas of life,\u201d she says. But it doesn\u2019t apply here. \u201cYou\u2019ve got all these demands on your time, and the mindset of \u2018more is better\u2019 is stressful. The stress state is a real problem,\u201d Huehls says.<\/p>\n<p>Stress can raise cortisol levels, which can impact estrogen and progesterone. \u201cThe symptoms of hormonal changes during perimenopause are stress-producing. It can be a vicious cycle,\u201d she says. Instead of working out harder, which can keep increasing those stress levels, Huehls suggests listening to your body: \u201cGive your body what it needs now to function and feel better.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Huehls says perimenopause is an important inflection point, offering an opportunity to step back and ask how you can work out smarter. \u201cPerimenopause is the right time to say, \u2018Hold on, I need a reset. What do I need right now? What do I need going forward? And how can I make this not stressful?\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<p>While everyone needs to be mindful of their stress state\u2014Huehls points out that chronic stress is linked to all our major health concerns\u2014this is especially true in perimenopause when hormones are out of whack and our bodies can\u2019t recover the way they used to. \u201cIn the physiologic state of stress, energy goes into fighting, fleeing, or freezing, which means less energy into healing, growth, and learning needed to thrive,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<h2>Rely on functional strength training<\/h2>\n<p>The best exercise to do in perimenopause is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/functional-fitness-workouts\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/functional-fitness-workouts\/\">functional strength training<\/a> with heavy weights\u2014moves that will help you perform everyday activities better. \u201cAs we age, we need good functional strength exercises that are challenging muscles to build up those muscle fibers,\u201d says Huehls.<\/p>\n<p>If we stick to low-intensity cardio and light weights because we\u2019re scared of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/toning-workouts-muscle-definition\/#:~:text=The%20myth%20about%20muscle%20growth%20and%20%22bulking%20up%22&amp;text=%22If%20you%20lose%20some%20body,comes%20down%20to%20muscle%20hypertrophy.\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/toning-workouts-muscle-definition\/#:~:text=The%20myth%20about%20muscle%20growth%20and%20%22bulking%20up%22&amp;text=%22If%20you%20lose%20some%20body,comes%20down%20to%20muscle%20hypertrophy.\">\u201cbulking up,\u201d<\/a> then we\u2019re only using a small portion of muscle fibers. \u201cThe ones you\u2019re not using go into hibernation, and there\u2019s the muscle loss,\u201d she says. But she is quick to point out that phrase is somewhat of a misnomer. \u201cThere\u2019s muscle fiber still there, and I think that\u2019s a really important point of hope,\u201d she says. \u201cThose muscles can be reactivated.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Huehls says to focus on functional exercises that go through the basic movement patterns of everyday life: pushing forward, pulling back, lifting overhead, pulling down. Do some exercises with both legs on the ground, and some with one leg on the ground. And build towards a challenging second and third set to make sure you\u2019re <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/training-strength-vs-size\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/training-strength-vs-size\/\">gaining strength<\/a>.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;Give your body what it needs now to function and feel better.&#8221; \u2014Janet Huehls, MS<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>If you can combine strength training, stamina training, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/fitness-wellness-trends\/fitness\/mobility-workouts\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/fitness-wellness-trends\/fitness\/mobility-workouts\/\">mobility<\/a> work into one exercise or workout, then you\u2019re golden, says Huehls. \u201cThe key is balance and not straining your body.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Change your mindset on cardio<\/h2>\n<p>Huehls says that cardiovascular exercise should have a goal of improving and maintaining stamina, and shouldn\u2019t be based solely on heart rate. \u201cLasting energy is something we need in this phase of our life,\u201d she says. \u201cThe proper cardio can make the heart muscle stronger, but it can also make the whole system more efficient at creating lasting energy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>What that cardio looks like for you depends on your body and preferences, but it\u2019s likely that super high-intensity workouts are contributing to stress rather than counteracting it. Ezratty says that workouts like HIIT exercises or boot camp classes can stress out the body during perimenopause: \u201cYour cortisol levels are rising, you\u2019re increasing inflammation, and you\u2019re increasing hunger drive,\u201d all of which will be counteractive if your goal is to get stronger or maintain your weight. While this is true even for younger women, Ezratty points out that those in their 20s and 30s have more tolerance because they have more optimal hormone levels. \u201cIt\u2019s the decrease in our hormones that makes the cortisol so nasty for us in perimenopause into menopause,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<p>Instead, cardio that doesn\u2019t stress you out and includes a mindfulness element and joy can be more effective. \u201cPerimenopause is entering a stage of chaos, and mindfulness is a perfect pair with exercise, rather than trying to distract yourself with exercise,\u201d says Huehls. She suggests combining something you enjoy, like talking to a friend or listening to a podcast, with your stamina training.<\/p>\n<p>As for what not to do, Huehls is very clear: Avoid anything that feels stressful. \u201cWhether it\u2019s stressful because you don\u2019t have time to do it, you\u2019re worried about injury or it just doesn\u2019t feel good\u2014don\u2019t do it. Anything you do for your health that puts you in a stress state is not helping you in the end and can contribute to perimenopausal symptoms,\u201d she says. \u201cWhen we stop thinking about it as a workout that has to be hard and stressful, we can use exercise as the way to tell our cells we want to be well.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1675549\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You\u2019re experiencing telltale symptoms like hot flashes, irritability, trouble sleeping, and weight gain, and even hot ears or itchy breasts. But you\u2019re not old enough to be in menopause, you think\u2014and you\u2019re still getting your monthly cycle, for that matter. It could be perimenopause, the period before the cessation of your menstruation, says nurse practitioner &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":8475,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8474","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8474","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8474"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8474\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8475"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8474"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8474"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8474"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}