A Smarter Journey: Exercise
Despite what some might think, working in music can be quite physically demanding. As a gigging musician, I have to travel to the venues where I’ll perform, often carrying my instrument and PA system with me. I bend, lift, shift and go up and down to set up my equipment. I move around the stage (sometimes off it and through the crowd, even) while performing. As a saxophonist, I really put my lungs to work every time I play, and I can’t run out of breath mid-concert!
Now, our bodies go through important changes during menopause that can have a huge impact on our energy levels and physical endurance. Menopausal people might experience changes in bone density, heart health, weight, body shape and mobility. This can affect our ability to keep working, so it’s important to exercise consciously and regularly in order to counter menopausal symptoms.
To be transparent, I didn’t struggle that much keeping up with physical activity prior to joining the SMART Rewind Metabolic Health 12 Week Programme. However, Pamela corrected some misconceptions I had, and helped me integrate exercise better into my routine.
Building muscle
Menopause makes us more vulnerable to osteoporosis, which is a condition that weakens our bones (you can read more about it on the NHS website). Ageing also tends to diminish our muscle mass. If you spend a lot of time indoors, and your admin work keeps you sitting at the desk for many hours, your muscle and bone health will deteriorate faster.
The best thing we can do against this is to exercise. Working out actually stimulates the growth of new muscular tissue, which in turn supports our joints and protects our increasingly fragile bones.
A misconception that I had was certain types of exercise, like weight-lifting or swimming, would make me bulk-up and widen in a way I didn’t want. It’s true that certain muscles of your body will grow if you train a given sport with enough intensity. However, no one becomes a muscle man out of working out two or three times a week. Bodybuilding is a competitive activity because it requires following a strict lifestyle and training regime to attain that look!
Exercising isn’t even the main factor aiding weight loss —that would be nutrition. We won’t grow more muscle than we need to in order to move how we want to. If similar concerns kept you from trying a sport that interests you, fret no more! Just seek advice from someone knowledgeable and go at your own pace. Pamela, for example, has experience as a fitness coach, so she’d be able to guide you in that regard. Just book a free consultation with her following this link.
The best fit for you
I’m not a gym bunny. Whenever I go to the gym, I get bored after a couple of reps and feel like giving up. On the other hand, when I’m involved in an activity that’s unpredictable and keeps me moving with a purpose, I like it. Knowing this, it makes more sense for me to exercise through competitive sports, dance or martial arts, than to get a gym subscription.
Finding the type of physical activity that you enjoy is essential because it ensures consistency. No matter what you decide to do, or how intensely you decide to do it, always that you keep at it in a consistent way, you’re winning. Don’t feel obliged to do something extravagant. I’ve taken to do body weight exercises and yoga at home, with no equipment, and it has done wonders for my health. Going even further, there’s a general medical consensus on the fact that just walking at a brisk pace a few times a week is extremely beneficial!
Once you find what you like, make time to do it. Depending on your lifestyle, perhaps it suits you best to kickstart the day with an early morning workout. Or if you’d rather exercise to unwind after work, go for it. If you can’t spare an entire hour, thirty or twenty minutes are also alright. One thing, though: don’t exercise right before bedtime. It can get in the way of your quality of sleep.
Instant benefits
Finding motivation to exercise can be hard. If you’re a sedentary person, getting into the habit of working out will likely bring you a lot of soreness and some uncertainty. Even I struggle now and then with standing up to go do my stretching routine or going for a walk. Once I’m in movement, though, I feel energised and refreshed.
Exercising stimulates the production and regulation of hormones in your body. This reduces your stress levels and gives you feelings of reward and satisfaction. You can perceive your heart and lung capacity improving after just a few days, too, which is great at any stage of life, but particularly during menopause, when your vulnerability to heart issues increase. Added bonus if you’re a wind player! We can always use more strength and breathing control.
What you can do
Thanks to Pamela’s guidance, I’ve taken exercise more seriously, and allotted more time for it. I now understand that I don’t have to follow a trend or do something that I don’t want in order to be fit. I see that it’s an all-round beneficial thing that keeps me safe from injuries, energised, refreshed and more confident in my abilities.
It’s never too late to start exercising. Don’t deprive yourself of something that really catches your eye because of stereotypes or self-doubt. What matters is that your chosen activity keeps you engaged and enjoying yourself. Also, remember that you can do something for the sake of it and your own well-being. You don’t have to become a master or an Olympian to practise a sport or activity that you love.
Exercise makes things better because it works your body in the way it needs. Focus on that, get advice from professionals like Pamela if you need to, and you’ll form a healthy habit in no time.