MIDLIFE-WOMEN_ARTICLE1_PERI-MENOPAUSE_PART1
Movement for Longevity: The Antiaging Workout That Doesn't Involve a Gym
A Place to Start: Stable Blood Sugar
The peri-menopause can be one of the trickiest times for women to get their heads around. One minute you're 30, full of energy to do all the things you want in life. Yes, there may be challenges, but none of them seem unmanageable. Life
— especially when you look back — seemed pretty great. All of a sudden, it feels like life and age have snuck up on you. You're just not quite the same person you used to be. You notice you get tired more easily; some days you're literally dragging yourself through the day. You've lost your get-up-and-go for no reason. The weight you used to be able to lose in the run-up to an important event stays stubbornly in place, no matter what you try, and you can't seem to shift that foggy feeling in your brain. But it can't be the menopause, right? You're too young…
The menopause actually refers to a time when you haven't had a single period for at least a year. The run-up to it can last for years, and it's called the peri-menopause. Think of it as the menopause transition. It can take eight to ten years! Women typically start to experience it in their 40s — and often the most
obvious signs are that your periods become irregular — although for some, it may even begin in their 30s.
During peri-menopause, levels of one of the main female sex hormones, oestrogen, rise and fall unevenly. The length of time between periods may be longer or shorter, your flow may be light to very heavy, and with worse PMS than ever before. You may even skip some periods — only for them to return with a vengeance.
You might also experience some of the symptoms traditionally associated with the menopause, like night sweats, hot flushes, sleep problems, mood swings, more UTIs like cystitis, and vaginal dryness. Around this time, you may begin to notice that weight loss becomes trickier, and your digestion feels a bit off.
The way some talk about the peri-menopause, you'd think it was a disease. There's no need to go to your doctor to get an official diagnosis — although it's definitely worth booking an appointment if you notice any of the following, as they can point to other problems. It's always better to be safe than sorry. Fibroids are something very common at this time.
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Spotting after your period.
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Blood clots during period.
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Bleeding after sex.
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Periods that are much longer or much shorter than normal.
If you are really struggling with your energy levels, it's also worth getting your thyroid checked, if it hasn't already been. Perimenopausal and menopausal women are at greater risk of thyroid dysfunction. Added to this, thyroid symptoms can mimic menopausal symptoms. The ovaries, uterus, adrenal glands and brain require adequate thyroid hormones to function.
Whatever your specific symptoms are, a tailored nutrition plan can really help. I know you could Google (other search engines are available) ‘diet for perimenopause’, but the truth is — and I know this from working with many clients, and from time to time hanging out in menopause forums — the answer doesn't lie in fixing yourself symptom by symptom. In the human body, everything is connected in ways you might not imagine. Looking at the whole of you, rather than individual complaints, is the way forward.
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Strength as the Foundation of Healthy Ageing
But I want to give you something to help you get started. Maintaining a stable blood sugar level can help. To do this:
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Eat three meals a day at regular intervals.
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Eat a palm-sized portion of protein at each meal (meat and poultry, fish and seafood, tofu, eggs, beans, lentils, chickpeas, nuts and seeds — ideally nothing in batter or breadcrumbs).
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Don't worry about healthy fats, like olive oil and avocados (the calories in vs. calories out myth has been debunked for a while now).
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Eat a minimum of five portions (three heaped tablespoons) of non-starchy vegetables or salad per day. Always have vegetables/salad with lunch and dinner, breakfast, too, if you wish. There is no upper limit on how many vegetables you can eat. The ideal options are anything that grows above ground.
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Eat two portions of low glycaemic fruit per day, with meals — bananas are high in sugar, however handy they are to transport. Try to stick to berries of anykind,apples,pears,plums,tangerinesorsimilar,lemonandlime,peaches and nectarines.
Ideally you should feel satisfied from your main meals and not require snacks throughout the day, however, should you feel hungry or if you are working out, you can have one snack per day — something like oatcakes with cream cheese, hummus, cottage cheese, ham and tomato, a small pot of natural yoghurt with berries, a Bounce ball, a handful of nuts and/or seeds, or a matchbox-sized chunk of cheese with an apple, or unsweetened nut butter and apple slices. Ideally you should feel satisfied from your main meals and not require snacks throughout the day, however, should you feel hungry or if you are working out, you can have one snack per day — something like oatcakes with cream cheese, hummus, cottage cheese, ham and tomato, a small pot of natural yoghurt with berries, a Bounce ball, a handful of nuts and/or seeds, or a matchbox-sized chunk of cheese with an apple, or unsweetened nut butter and apple slices.
Strength as the Foundation of Healthy Ageing
Muscle mass naturally declines with age. This loss affects strength, balance, metabolic rate and even the ability to recover from illness. Maintaining muscle is one of the most important investments you can make in your future mobility.
Resistance work does not need to be complicated. A short session twice a week is enough to protect strength. This can be as simple as bodyweight movements at home, using a resistance band or completing a few controlled squats and push-ups. The goal is to keep muscles engaged and responsive.
One Thing This Week
A simple test known as the sit-to-stand test went viral this year for its links to healthy ageing. The test involves crossing your legs, lowering yourself to the floor without using your hands and then standing back up in the same way. The fewer supports you need, the better your balance, flexibility and strength. These qualities are closely linked to long-term independence and reduced risk of falls.
How to try it:
Stand upright, cross one leg behind the other and slowly lower yourself to a seated position on the floor. Rise again to standing without using your hands or knees for support.
Many people notice they can get down but struggle with getting back up. This is
common, especially if balance or strength has declined. If you want to improve this skill, practise partial versions. You might lower onto a cushion, use a chair for light support or practise standing from a low stool. Even small improvements in this ability show progress in lower-body strength and balance.
Mobility: The Underrated Key to Staying Active
Mobility work keeps joints moving comfortably and reduces stiffness. It is often overlooked, but it plays an essential role in how freely you move each day.
Gentle stretches, slow rotational movements for the hips and shoulders or short yoga-inspired flows can improve flexibility. Mobility also makes strength training safer and more effective. A few minutes each morning or evening can have a noticeable impact on how your body feels.
Lessons from the Bestselling Book Built to Move
The book Built to Move by Juliet and Kelly Starrett highlights ten essential habits that help the body move well for life. Several of these align closely with longevity research. The authors emphasise the importance of daily floor time, which increases hip mobility and helps maintain the ability to get up and down with ease. They also recommend regular calf stretching to support walking comfort, hanging from a bar to improve shoulder mobility and spending time in a deep squat to maintain lower-body strength. None of these require equipment beyond ordinary household furniture. More importantly, they are short enough to incorporate into daily life.
[Do you know this book? If so, what is your take?]
One Thing This Week
Movement does not need to be structured to be beneficial. Walking after meals can support blood sugar, gardening strengthens the body in natural patterns and carrying shopping helps maintain grip strength. Standing up from your desk once every thirty minutes reduces stiffness and encourages circulation. Many people benefit from exercise snacks throughout the day. These are tiny bursts of activity such as ten squats while waiting for the kettle to boil or a brisk minute of stair climbing between tasks. These moments of movement help counter long periods of sitting and keep the body alert.
Building Your Own Approach
You do not need a perfect routine. You need movement that feels achievable and repeatable. Choose activities you genuinely enjoy. Add a short walk after lunch. Keep a resistance band at home or at your desk. Practise the sit-to-stand
movement safely and patiently if it is something you want to improve. Combine strength, mobility and daily natural movement in whatever way fits your life.
Over time, these small choices help maintain balance, muscle strength and confidence in your body's ability to support you well into later life.