Boy oh boy, I taught a spin class this morning and it wasn't bad enough that my legs were like jello once the ride was over, but when I got off the bike and completed my 146 walking lunges (yes I'm doing the challenge I posted in yesterday's article) I almost needed to pay someone to carry me to my car! HA HA HA
I hope you have started the challenge and you are enthusiastic about it. Many of us get VERY comfortable doing a particular type of exercise and the goal here is to mix it up and get you to challenge your body.
We are entering into a new season = FALL. I always say when you enter into a new season, YOU CHANGE with that season. Meaning, do something different this season. For instance, if you are always using "walking" as your form of cardio exercise then perhaps change it to running. But CHANGE. Your body gets very use to what you do and shocking your body and doing something different will give you some great results on the scale - that thing I told you to stay off of ha ha ha ha.
One of the things I wanted to talk about - and before I forget, I will be putting up VERY SOON PART II to the article I wrote last weekend about REBOOTING! But anyway, I wanted to talk to those folks that are women at the ages between 35 and 50. I want to talk about how your body at 35 or so and up is preparing for menopause. And the thing is, is that pre-menopause can be SO FRUSTRATING because one of the symptoms is WEIGHT GAIN and it's inevitable. And so because it's inevitable, you really need to CHANGE UP your workouts. The body is going to fight you and you have got to FIGHT BACK and with DETERMINATION!
Now the downside of this is that, if you are just now at these ages starting your weight loss journey then this is THAT BUMP IN THE ROAD that can either make or break you. Of course those symptoms go away in time, but WHO WANTS TO GAIN WEIGHT OR NOT BE ABLE TO LOSE WEIGHT? I don't know about you, but I bust my booty in the gym and I'm fighting this right now at the age of 44. So you may find yourself gaining unnecessary weight and the kind of workouts you have done don't seem to be working any longer. It's already bad enough that with these symptoms we get to have mood changes too OH JOY! And if you are an emotional eater, than this can really sabotage your weight gain - IF YOU LET IT. DON'T LET IT!
Now I can get all scientific and break down why at the pre-menopausal state we gain weight. But I'm more focused on those two words WEIGHT GAIN! YIKES! NOW IS THE TIME TO GET STRONG AND BUCKLE UP AND GET A GOOD SOLID GAME PLAN WHILE YOUR BODY GOES THROUGH THIS.
It will be VERY important as mentioned above to CHANGE UP YOUR WORKOUTS adding INTENSITY! You have to trick that body of yours! Your metabolism isn't going to be your friend. So importantly buckle up mentally and emotionally as well.
Doctors are realizing that even taken hormonal replacement therapy is not preventing the weight gain, so do you hear what I'm saying? While going through this state, your goal will be to MAINTAIN YOUR WEIGHT don't focus on losing. If you lose FABULOUSSSS! But just focus on maintaining. Now if you have a lot of weight to lose you are probably thinking OMG I don't want to stay at this weight. Well then get MOVING BABY CAKES! This will mean dropping your caloric intake and BURNING MORE through exercise. As I've mentioned in other articles it takes 3,500 calories to burn off ONE pound of fat. So a plan of action is really needed here because you may not even notice the slow increase in your weight, or maybe you have and maybe you have even noticed you can't lose. I don't want this state to deter you from a healthy lifestyle. It's a SEASON in your body that will pass.
Here is an interesting study that I read about, take a read:
I hope you have started the challenge and you are enthusiastic about it. Many of us get VERY comfortable doing a particular type of exercise and the goal here is to mix it up and get you to challenge your body.
We are entering into a new season = FALL. I always say when you enter into a new season, YOU CHANGE with that season. Meaning, do something different this season. For instance, if you are always using "walking" as your form of cardio exercise then perhaps change it to running. But CHANGE. Your body gets very use to what you do and shocking your body and doing something different will give you some great results on the scale - that thing I told you to stay off of ha ha ha ha.
One of the things I wanted to talk about - and before I forget, I will be putting up VERY SOON PART II to the article I wrote last weekend about REBOOTING! But anyway, I wanted to talk to those folks that are women at the ages between 35 and 50. I want to talk about how your body at 35 or so and up is preparing for menopause. And the thing is, is that pre-menopause can be SO FRUSTRATING because one of the symptoms is WEIGHT GAIN and it's inevitable. And so because it's inevitable, you really need to CHANGE UP your workouts. The body is going to fight you and you have got to FIGHT BACK and with DETERMINATION!
Now the downside of this is that, if you are just now at these ages starting your weight loss journey then this is THAT BUMP IN THE ROAD that can either make or break you. Of course those symptoms go away in time, but WHO WANTS TO GAIN WEIGHT OR NOT BE ABLE TO LOSE WEIGHT? I don't know about you, but I bust my booty in the gym and I'm fighting this right now at the age of 44. So you may find yourself gaining unnecessary weight and the kind of workouts you have done don't seem to be working any longer. It's already bad enough that with these symptoms we get to have mood changes too OH JOY! And if you are an emotional eater, than this can really sabotage your weight gain - IF YOU LET IT. DON'T LET IT!
Now I can get all scientific and break down why at the pre-menopausal state we gain weight. But I'm more focused on those two words WEIGHT GAIN! YIKES! NOW IS THE TIME TO GET STRONG AND BUCKLE UP AND GET A GOOD SOLID GAME PLAN WHILE YOUR BODY GOES THROUGH THIS.
It will be VERY important as mentioned above to CHANGE UP YOUR WORKOUTS adding INTENSITY! You have to trick that body of yours! Your metabolism isn't going to be your friend. So importantly buckle up mentally and emotionally as well.
Doctors are realizing that even taken hormonal replacement therapy is not preventing the weight gain, so do you hear what I'm saying? While going through this state, your goal will be to MAINTAIN YOUR WEIGHT don't focus on losing. If you lose FABULOUSSSS! But just focus on maintaining. Now if you have a lot of weight to lose you are probably thinking OMG I don't want to stay at this weight. Well then get MOVING BABY CAKES! This will mean dropping your caloric intake and BURNING MORE through exercise. As I've mentioned in other articles it takes 3,500 calories to burn off ONE pound of fat. So a plan of action is really needed here because you may not even notice the slow increase in your weight, or maybe you have and maybe you have even noticed you can't lose. I don't want this state to deter you from a healthy lifestyle. It's a SEASON in your body that will pass.
Here is an interesting study that I read about, take a read:
"One study found that women who do work at diet and exercise can stave off weight gain as they enter menopause — and stay healthier
, too. The Women's Healthy Lifestyle Project involved more than 500 pre-menopausal women, half of whom were instructed to follow a reduced-fat, 1,300-calorie-a-day diet and increase their physical activity (to burn 1,000 to 1,500 calories a week through exercise), while the other half did not follow any special intervention.
Results published in the journal Circulation showed that during nearly 4.5 years of follow-up, the women who worked hard at diet and exercise did not gain weight but actually lost an average of .2 pounds. Meanwhile, those in the other group gained an average of 5.2 pounds — roughly a pound a year. The women in the intervention group also were healthier with regard to their blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood levels of glucose and insulin."
WOW! So you see, it's important now to gear up and make eating healthy and regular exercise a lifestyle change. So back to you walkers and lite bicycle riders through your neighborhood read the following to this study:
"While health experts often recommend 30 minutes a day of moderate physical activity to boost health, many endorse much more — 60 to 90 minutes a day — for weight loss.
Reader No. 1, you say you're doing the treadmill 30 to 50 minutes three times a week, so you may want to try increasing your aerobic activity. Keep in mind that an exercise program that worked for you in your 20s, 30s or even 40s may not be enough now, says Los Angeles personal trainer Kathy Kaehler, author of "Fit and Sexy for Life."
"You must work harder," says Kaehler.
Reader No. 2, your walking program may not be enough to burn off the fat, especially if you're strolling along.
Both of you should experiment to find what's working for you, and aim to mix things up, Kaehler says. When you do the same activities over and over, such as the treadmill or walking outdoors, your body isn't challenged as much as when you regularly do different activities. So consider biking, tennis, swimming, step class or whatever else you enjoy.
Keep in mind that incorporating different types of activity, including weight-training, into your fitness routine can give you more all-around benefits."
So we have some work to do ladies...KICK UP YOUR ACTIVITY NOW because you in for a ride and I'm there now and those that know me know I workout hard and often. Losing 2 pounds a week is NOT easy and so even for myself I am taking my workout tablet out, and writing out a great game plan for my workouts to increase the levels of my intensity and the length of time. Personally, I'm going from a 1 hour workout to 1 hour and a half. I've talked to many women in the gym after my classes and they have confirmed that they too saw that the numbers were going the other direction on the scale - instead down were going up. They couldn't understand this as they work out and eat healthy. One woman told me she was ready to give up and give in! I suggested to her to change up her eating plan. GET THIS, believe it or not, IT WORKED! I'm SO happy she listened. She went on the paleo eating plan and lost 30 pounds in 4 months. Her body was in complete shock! She took out the toxins that are in the foods she was eating (which we want to do in the pre-menopause and menopause state) and her body went to town! If you want to know more about the Paleo eating plan you can check out some information here: http://robbwolf.com/what-is-the-paleo-diet/
Now the weight gain that occurs is mainly in the belly...NO WAY JOSE I'm saying...But it's true. I've got to do way way more ab work then I ever had to. Or course, mixing up the way you work your core is SUPER DUPER IMPORTANT ladies.
Now the weight gain that occurs is mainly in the belly...NO WAY JOSE I'm saying...But it's true. I've got to do way way more ab work then I ever had to. Or course, mixing up the way you work your core is SUPER DUPER IMPORTANT ladies.
There are natural herbs that you can take with menopause:
- Soy foods. The isoflavones in soy foods help balance hormone levels and have some estrogenic activity. There is ongoing research about the safety and efficacy of isolated soy isoflavone supplements. While the initial results look promising, we currently recommend using natural soy foods rather than supplements. Choose from tofu, soy milk, roasted soy nuts or tempeh.
- Flaxseed. Substances called lignins in flaxseed are important modulators of hormone metabolism. Grind flaxseed daily in a coffee grinder at home and use 1 to 2 tablespoons a day.
- Dong quai. Dong quai (Angelica sinensis) is known both in China and the West for its ability to support and maintain the natural balance of female hormones. It does not have estrogenic activity. This is one of the herbs for menopause that should not be taken if a woman is experiencing heavy bleeding.
- Black cohosh (Cumicifuga racemosa). One of the best-studied traditional herbs for menopause, black cohosh is used to help alleviate some symptoms of menopause, including hot flashes. Black cohosh seems to work by supporting and maintaining hormonal levels, which may lessen the severity of hot flashes. Many women report that the herb works well but it isn't effective for everyone. While any therapy that influences hormonal actions should be a concern, black cohosh does not appear to have estrogenic activity and thus may be safe for women with a personal or family history of breast cancer.
- Vitamin E. A daily dose of 400 IUs of natural vitamin E (as mixed tocopherols and tocotrienols) can help alleviate symptoms of hot flashes in some menopausal women.
- B vitamins. This group of water-soluble vitamins may help women deal with the stress of menopausal symptoms.
- Evening primrose oil or black currant oil. These are sources of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an essential fatty acid that can help influence prostaglandin synthesis and help moderate menopausal symptoms.
But seriously don't feel doomed. WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS! But inevitably with age the metabolism slows down so remember and always keep in the back of your mind that you have to get MORE INTENSE in your workouts to fight this THING! GRRRR! My suggestion is STAY OFF OF THE SCALE!! Hide it, have a friend come and take it out of your reach STAT! Or you can take a hammer to it - ha ha ha!
Your mental attitude is going to play a HUGE role, well actually the STARRING role in this!
MUCH LOVE!
That Gym Girl
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