Fitness and perimenopause

[Stumpedasatree]

I’m not sure yet if I’m at this stage but finding my usual routine of 5 years or so running so difficult. I should be at half marathon fitness with all my training but I’m not. I keep forcing myself out but it’s like trying to run through treacle and I have none of my previous energy. I can’t have lost my fitness but it honestly feels like it as my times are so much slower. I’m sad because I’m not getting my my endorphins and just feel like I’m crap.

Other symptoms are insomnia and low mood, brain fog maybe.

I’m not on any HRT yet.

I dealt with the individual symptoms first, so magnesium for sleep etc.
I do 2/3 classes a week and I’m finding it a struggle right now (I’m 53) so I’m going for maintenance rather than improvement right now.
I have started HRT, but that’s for my mood, not for fitness.

I feel like I spent a year saying 'is this because of Covid or because of perimenopause' - both hit at roughly the same time. It felt to me like my base fitness level just disappeared.
I've always been active but suddenly I felt like my fitness levels just completely dropped. Every session was like starting from scratch - not building on all the years of exercise I'd already done.
I'm not on HRT but I do take supplements specially for women/menopause including magnesium, iron, etc. I changed up my exercise routine - swopped walking for aerobics; yoga for small weights. After almost a year, I'd say my fitness levels are almost back and I can now go back to my original exercise routine eg yoga, walking - as well as continuing with workouts, tennis, etc.

Download the Balance Menopause app - it helps you track symptoms and you can then create a report to take to the GP. There are lots of different aspects to perimenopause including, as you said in your OP, brain fog, low mood, anxiety, insomnia.

Thank you for the replies! Forgot to add I’m 47 almost 48. @IveHadItUpToHere i can relate to that exactly. I’m also adding some weight training in to help. I already take magnesium for sleep and restless legs.

Thanks for the balance meno app rec, I’ll download it and track my symptoms.

I'd see the Gp about double checking for anything else. I have Hypothyroidism and that can cause similar symptoms.

I also had terrible peri menopausal symptoms. Hrt worked but it must be in conjunction with exercise and healthy diet.

Quit sugar and alcohol bar the odd small glass (red is best.) Mediterranean diet. Try some fasting or a smaller window of eating.

Running isn't great exercise in peri - also it needs to be more gentle. Weights are a very good idea for joints as is swimming for cardio.

Unfortunately I now have hormone positive breast cancer and absolutely need to be off all hrt as well as blocking any of my own. The above is how I'm going to have to manage. It won't have been the hrt causing it for me as it's not been long enough. I'm still a passionate advocate for hrt but I do think it has to be in conjunction with all the other things.

Honestly if I had to pick 3 - give up sugar as it resets your cortisol which is linked to weight gain, weight training- it's so dam efficient at getting results I wouldn't take it out of my routine now, and intermittent fasting.

HRT will sort you out- I was needing afternoon naps before I started on them. It sounds like you're in the perimenopause and your lack of oestrogen is affecting you. Please go and see your doctor if you can.

Yep

I’d ask a gp to test TSH as it maybe your thyroid not your menopause, symptoms can overlap

@MistyTrains I have very little sugar, but will try to completely cut out. I'd love to know what weight training you do please and the results you've got.

@LoisPrice I'll get my thyroid checked as well, that's a good suggestion.

@Ikeameatballlunch I'm sorry about your breast cancer. I wish you all the very best in recovery. I hadn't heard running was bad in peri, I hope not, I would hate to give it up.

@Stumpedasatree I'm in a similar boat but 54 and had hoped that I'd be finished with all the periods and crap by now! I've had all the blood tests and all they said was Vit D low so i took 2000m a day for a while but it didn't make any difference. Wouldn't suggest HRT as I'm still having regular periods.

I'm not sleeping properly, exhausted when I wake up so missing my before work gym sessions cos I can't get out of bed then just counting the hours until I can go back to bed again! To compound the lack of energy I end up comfort eating high sugar high fat foods which of course makes things much worse. I know that cutting out the sugar would make me feel better but I manage it for a few days then just slip back into bad habits and misery.

If you already run, that's fine. But you may find joints start to struggle - it's very individual. You may not!

A couple of friends, one on tamoxifen, were running marathons etc and had to switch to walking over time. But it can come back post menopause.

It's about how much and how long - training for a and doing marathon is going to put a lot of stress on your body. Half marathon may be better but it's very dependent.

Regular running several times a week is going to be more effective especially if you already do. I think it's that daily exercise. Little and often.

Walking / hiking as as good as running (an article I read in new scientist compared them and walking came out slightly better simply as less joint issues. ) but takes a bit more time.

My feet got so bad I couldn't run so it's having other things as back up, and making sure you've the bone density stuff going on too such as weights.

Getting a dog who refuses to wee in the garden has been the biggest improvement to my health as I have to do that brisk early morning walk thing that Michael Mosely says is good. And again 2-3 times during the day. I've been slowly extending it when I can.

Do you eat a lot of greens? I find this helps a lot - brocolli and cabbage especially. I sometimes just snack on a dish of them - really helps gut health and brain fog. I take an immune suppressant so am prone to it.

I do 3 sessions with 1 day rest in between, a mix of compound lifts and push/pull, with a focus on glutes/hamstrings/quads. 1 session a week is with a PT who got me lifting much heavier than I thought. I eat my maintenance calories every day and also high protein. I have put on muscle- thighs are pure muscle, arms are strong, no cellulite, and lost an inch on my waist. I walk about 8-10k a day and do about 20 mins running a week.

@MistyTrains I do eat pretty well, lots of whole grains, pulses and greens and fairly high protein. I love broccoli and spinach! How long are your sessions?

I'm 53 and have had to completely change my exercise because of the way peri has affected my body. I get what feels like constant tendon injuries from doing the slightest thing. It started a few years ago and has got worse and worse. It was only when my physio referred me to a musco-skeletal specialist that I realised it was peri sodding menopause. So I've had to drop anything high impact (recipe for disaster) and even low impact I have to be careful with. I've also dropped from 6-7+ sessions a week to 3. Now I mainly do weights (have always done weights) but I don't lift as heavy as I used to, and I have to really warm up well before I can even think about pushing the weights up. It sucks. Makes me feel like such an old woman.

@Stumpedasatree Do you eat enough? As in calories? The brain basically reorganises itself in menopause, it's as critical a transition as puberty, so energy is key.

I also find a daily antihistamine like benadryl helps headaches if I had a bad night sleep.

The sessions are about 1 hr / 1 h 30 but that is with 90s rests, faffing between or waiting for a machine, plus a bit of cardio.

The actual lifting I would say if it were all put together would be about 25m.

It's all relative but I'm at top end beginner or novice level according to the strength level website, so squatting about 47.5kg including the bar.

@MistyTrains possibly not eating enough if I'm honest. I shall tweak that. I had no idea that requirements may change with menopause. Thanks for the lifting info!

Carbs are your friend :) I don't know your stats but I am 5.6 BMI 21.7 and I eat about 200g of complex carb. My trainer gave me that and I hit it pretty much every day. My ability to flow in my thoughts is better as is my cognitive function. I would describe it as feeling 'on it.'

Since doing that for the last 2 months I've gained just under 3lbs but to be honest that is water weight as I was low carbing before, and in terms of my actual measurements my waist is about an inch smaller. My thighs and biceps have a little muscle but it's a misconception that eating and weight training makes you bulky. Even hardened body builders (unlike me) cannot gain more than 2lb of muscle a month.

If I feel I am gaining weight beyond fluctuations, I drop to 160g for a couple of days.

I am getting blood tests done tomorrow to include hormones and thyroid function. @MistyTrains I am 5ft 2 and around 8 stone maybe a little less, and have no idea how much carb I manage - could probably improve though!