The onset of menopause is no longer a sign of old age and frailty, but an opportunity to embrace a new you. Menopause is not only about dealing with hot flushes and sleepless nights; it’s also a time when your body goes through changes that affect your health in more ways than one. Even though hormone levels are fluctuating in your body and you may feel lethargic or unmotivated at times, it’s important to stay active to boost your metabolism, keep excess fat at bay, stimulate bone strength and maintain flexibility for as long as possible.

Cardio Exercises to Strengthen Body and Mind

The best thing about menopause is that it gives you the freedom to do whatever you want. You can choose to work out inside or outside, in the comfort of your home or at a gym. All you need is a little discipline and a few minutes to spare every day. 

Cardio exercises are great for your heart, blood flow and metabolism, and can also help keep your weight in check. Here are a few highly recommended cardio exercises for menopausal women. 

 

  1. Walking/Jogging – Walking and jogging are great exercises that can be done anywhere. All you need is a pair of sturdy shoes, some rhythm and a bit of determination. Aim to walk/jog for at least 30 minutes every day. 
  2. Swimming – Swimming is one of the best exercises for menopausal women because it is low-impact, and therefore, doesn’t put too much strain on your joints. It’s also one of the best ways to relax and unwind and can be a great way to socialize with friends. 
  3. Indoor Cycling – If you prefer indoor workouts, cycling is an excellent exercise for weight loss. You can do it at home or at a gym, and all you need is a stationary bike, and you’re good to go. Look for a stationary bike with adjustable resistance to make your workouts more challenging as you progress.  
  4. Squats – Squats are great for toning your legs and glutes and can also help strengthen your core. Squats are one of the best exercises to do during menopause because they help strengthen and stabilize your pelvic floor.

Core Exercises for a Strong Core and Good posture

Here are a few core exercises that can help you strengthen your back, improve posture and prevent any kind of back pain. 

  1. Standing Twist – Standing Twist is a great exercise that not only helps you build strength in your core but also improves your balance and posture. Here’s how to do the standing twist. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Keep your arms by your side and hold on to a chair or wall if needed for balance. Squeeze your glutes and lift one leg up behind you, keeping your knee bent at 90 degrees. Keeping your hips still, rotate towards the leg that’s lifted behind you until your foot touches the ground behind you. Then bring it back up to standing, then repeat on the other side.
  2. Seated Twist – Seated Twist is another great exercise that can be done while you’re at work. This exercise will help to strengthen your abdominal and back muscles. Sit upright in your chair with your feet flat on the floor. Place both hands behind you, by your waist. Lean back slightly and twist from side to side, keeping your head always facing forward.
  3. Cat-Cow Pose – Cat-Cow pose is a great way to stretch your spine and strengthen your core.   Start on your hands and knees in Tabletop Position. Make sure all four wrists are directly below your shoulders, with your fingers pointing forward, parallel to each other and about shoulder-width apart. Spread your knees about hip-width apart and point your toes behind you. Bring your big toes together so that they touch but let the rest of your feet fall out to the sides. Bring your belly toward the floor by contracting (pulling in) your abdominal muscles as much as possible without straining or moving any other part of the body. Round your back toward the ceiling and look up at the ceiling with an open throat; this is Cow Pose. Release by reversing the movement: arch back upward into Cat Pose, tucking the chin in slightly toward the chest to help open
  4. Bridge Pose – Bridge pose is a great exercise for your glutes and lower back. It also stretches the chest and shoulders, and it helps relieve stress on the lower back. This pose can be modified to accommodate any level of fitness. To do this pose, lie flat on your back with your knees bent. Slowly lift your hips up off the floor until your body forms a straight line from head to toe. Press down through both heels into the floor and lift up through the crown of your head so you feel like a bow being drawn by an archer’s bowstring. If you have trouble holding this pose for more than a few seconds, place blocks under your buttocks or roll up a towel and place it between your thighs. Hold this position for 30 seconds to 1 minute while breathing deeply.

Yoga Exercises for Flexibility, Stamina and Relaxation

Yoga is not only known for helping you stay fit and healthy, but is also for improving your mental health and general well-being. Yoga stretches and tones your muscles improves your breathing, and increases your flexibility. It also calms the mind and reduces anxiety, stress, and depression. 

Here are a few best yoga exercises to try during menopause. 

  1. Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar) – This is one of the basic yoga exercises that can be done almost anywhere. It helps improve your posture, balance and flexibility.  Sit on the floor with your legs stretched forward. Keep your hands by your side and stretch them out as far as you can. Now, lift your chest upwards while inhaling deeply and stretch out both arms to the sides at shoulder height. Stretch them backwards while exhaling and bring them down next to your ears. Hold this pose for a few seconds before returning to the original position. Repeat this exercise 10 times to gain benefits from it.
  2. Warrior Pose (Virabhadrasana) – This yoga pose helps improve your posture and strength in your core.  Start in Mountain Pose (Tadasana) with your feet together or apart depending on your mobility. Raise your arms straight out to the sides at shoulder height (A). Bend your right knee and step forward into a lunge with your right foot facing forward and left foot turned out 90 degrees (B). Bend down to grab onto the ball of your left foot with both hands for support (C). Now straighten up as much as possible while keeping both heels on the floor. Keep your spine long and gaze straight ahead towards one of the corners of the room if possible (D). Hold for 20 seconds then switch sides.
  3. Chair Pose (Utkatasana) – This yoga pose helps improve your posture and strengthens your core.  Stand with your feet together. Spread your legs apart until they are about hip-width apart. Bend your right knee and bring it toward your chest as you raise your arms above your head. Bring your hands together at the centre of your chest or clasp them behind your back if possible.  Straighten both arms overhead while keeping them parallel to each other with palms facing down. Hold this position for 5-10 seconds before lowering back down into a chair pose on the other side by bending your left knee and bringing it toward your chest while raising both arms above head level with palms facing down. Hold for 5-10 seconds before repeating on both sides again for 1-3 sets total per session depending on how many repetitions you can do without losing balance or feeling weak
  4. Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana) –This yoga pose helps improve your flexibility in your spine and back. To do this pose, sit on the floor with your legs stretched out in front of you. Bend forward from your hips, keeping your back straight. Hold onto the top of your feet or ankles if you can’t reach them comfortably. Stay in this position for as long as comfortable and then return to sitting upright with knees bent in front of you.

When menopause strikes, your body goes through a natural process of ageing. Your estrogen and progesterone levels drop drastically, which can induce hot flashes, insomnia and other side effects. However, it doesn’t mean that you need to stop exercising. 

Menopause is the perfect time to get in shape because your metabolism is on fire and now is the best time to burn those fats while boosting your stamina at the same time! The benefits of exercise as a menopausal woman are numerous. It reduces stress and anxiety, improves sleep quality and helps with weight maintenance by burning excess fat more efficiently than dieting alone.

If you’re just starting out with an exercise program or coming back after some time away from the gym, try those exercises abovementioned at your own pace and comfort. All you need is a little discipline and a few minutes to spare every day.