Exercise in the Menopause Part 2

In Part 2 Personal Trainer Paula returns, this time we talk about all things from menopause belly, types of exercise, our own experiences and as you will hear lots of laughter.  I hope there may be one thing you can learn from our chats, although they are very informal, we aim to get a good variety of information out there for you!

Please get in touch if you would like to be on the podcast, either as a guest or in the audience.  There is absolutely no experience needed, no professional talking, I am looking for the average female who is going through their menopause and would like to talk openly about it.  If this sounds like you or you would like to be around other women to feel supported, then please get in touch through any of the details below.  This can be online, in person or at IG6 3HD

Email - ⁠⁠menopausedinners@gmail.com⁠⁠

Website: https://www.menopausedinners.co.uk

Instagram & TikTok @Menopause_dinners

Facebook / You Tube - Menopause Dinners

You Tube Channel:  ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@Menopause_Dinners⁠

Sponsored by: Fitness Therapy 4 you: ⁠⁠https://www.fitnesstherapy4you.co.uk⁠⁠

Instagram/Facebook & You Tube: fitnesstherapy4you

You Tube channel where you can learn about the Menopause: ⁠⁠http://www.youtube.com/@fitnesstherapy4you508⁠⁠

Paula's Details:  instagram earlPT

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:15

Welcome to Mana Paul's Dinners. My name is Sarah and I'm your host. Not only is it me, but I have some incredible guests with me. You can expect real stories, laughter, a few tears, and some facts to help you feel not alone in the ship's storm called the Manipaules. So sit tight and let's ride this storm together. Welcome to Mana Paul's Dinners. Paula's in the house. She's come back for part two.

SPEAKER_01 1:01

So we are going to carry on talking about Exercise in the menopause.

SPEAKER_02 1:07

Because Paula, as we mentioned before, has many qualifications, but she works with ladies in their 50s, helping them get fit and healthy and strong. Is that right?

SPEAKER_01 1:18

Yes. I try to, and of course, I'm a lady who's been through menopause. Yes. Like Hercules.

SPEAKER_02 1:25

Hercules, Hercules, Hercules. So we're going to do our quiz. Our quiz today is going to be naming as many different types of exercises that we can. Keep it clean, Paula. We did this one earlier. It was a different type of uh quiz. Right, ready?

SPEAKER_01 1:44

Listen, you're the one who was who needed to keep it clean.

SPEAKER_03 1:48

Filty girl. Alright, ready? Are you ready?

SPEAKER_01 1:52

Yes, I'm ready.

SPEAKER_03 1:52

20 seconds start now.

SPEAKER_01 1:54

Swimming. Bodyweight exercises. Running. Um yoga.

SPEAKER_03 1:59

Cycling. I'll do it all the time. 10 seconds remaining. Um classes. Resistance work. Five. Oh, um, balance work. Tai chi. Three. Oh, she chi con. One.

SPEAKER_02 2:17

Time's up. Oh, that wasn't too bad, wasn't it? Well done. So um I want to break down these exercises now. We're gonna go through them if we can remember what they were. Whether they're good for um menopause, they might be good at certain stages better than others. Yeah. There may be, so we'll we'll talk a bit more about that. So let's talk about running. We talked about that a little bit in part one. We did. So running, good, let's go. Perimenopause first.

SPEAKER_01 2:49

Um well I I I actually think perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause are all the same when it comes to exercise, apart from there's just little tweaks for myself. I have had to I still run, but I've had to reduce the amount of times and the frequency and the intensity as well as the years have gone on, and it's been in stages, it's just sort of become less and less important to me. There used to be a time when I used to be out there pounding the pavement, and it's um now like I say, it's a fast jog. I'm a bit like you and you were spoken speaking about how you went out for the walk and you start being aware of your I don't like running on a treadmill.

SPEAKER_02 3:36

No, it's so boring. I won't run on a treadmill. I need to be outside, but also I've I feel that obviously tiv different terrains, treadmill, yeah, but also I'm sure that it's more damaging for your body being on a treadmill than it is outside.

SPEAKER_01 3:52

In fact, it's really strange that you say that. So we've had so much rain this year. Yeah. So much rain. And uh this year so far, in the past two months, I think I've run three times outside because of the weather. Okay. Because I'm a very I'm a fair weather runner. Oh, yeah, definitely. But one day I really felt that I because I'm I I there was a time I used to run a lot, and I feel I felt like I wanted to go for a run. Yeah. So it was raining one Saturday morning. I thought, right, I'll go on a treadmill. I have never been in so much pain through my hips, my knees, my ankles for the next uh three days that I had to go and have a sauna, and that was from running on a treadmill. If I'd have done that run outside, I wouldn't have felt like that.

SPEAKER_02 4:38

I I do think um I can't give you any scientific facts behind it, but I can say to you that it's not the same. I know women that have gone just walking, fast walking on a treadmill. I've gone fast walking on a treadmill, and I actually fractured my sesamoid bone, which is under my big toe. Um, but I can walk for miles outside.

SPEAKER_01 4:59

Yeah, different muscles, different so a lot of people just go flat on the treadmill. You need to put a slight gradient on it. Yes. Because it's not it's not a natural way for the body to walk completely flat.

SPEAKER_02 5:10

But also in real life, you don't just walk in one straight line. No. I mean, it'd be great if you could, but when you're out and you've got two people walking in front of you, you're not gonna say, I need to keep walking in a straight line.

SPEAKER_01 5:23

I'd definitely think twice about getting on a treadmill. Yeah, me too. Um the only instance where I probably would go on a treadmill, and I wouldn't recommend this for every woman after menopause is if I wanted to do some sprints, which I don't mind doing, but it's because I have been exercising for a long time. But then I'd rather use the lampposts. Okay, so lampposts. Yeah, you know, you you run, you'll be jogging along, and then you see that and you think, you know what, I'm gonna throw in a couple of springs, so I'll run from I'll sprint from one lamppost to the other. Lamppost for me, me like your dog, no.

SPEAKER_02 6:03

No, she's a girl, she's a piss up as she does cock her leg. She hangs out with boys, she does cock her leg. That's quite funny. Okay, so treadmills. Here's a here's a funny one. So now there is a craze about a standing desk, which is great because I've I've got them. Yes. Treadmills underneath. I do know someone that's got one, and I do know someone that fell off of it while they were trying to work. Um same thing, is it better for us to keep moving or do we or are we gonna cause it more problems walking under our desk? I'm not sure if you can answer that one. It's a difficult one. I don't I you know I don't know of anyone who has a but saying that, if if it means that you keep moving and you can't get out, and that's the only form of movement that you've got, that's better than nothing, right?

SPEAKER_01 6:51

Yeah, yeah. Just be rather than just sitting.

SPEAKER_02 6:54

Yeah, rather than just sitting, just got to be mindful, I suppose, of just what you're what you're doing. I definitely would not be able to do that. I am I'm accident-prone person. So am I. I'd go flying arse over tit if that was me. Okay, so uh running, we're kind of saying, I'm gonna throw something in the mix here. In perimenopause, I would say that yes and no, because because your oasine, progesterone, testterone is all over the shop so much, means that your ligaments and your tendons are gonna be more unstable.

SPEAKER_01 7:27

But that's what I was saying. It for me, yeah, I would because I've been doing it. For you different. I wouldn't recommend that this is something you should pick up because you feel you're putting a little bit of head on.

SPEAKER_02 7:38

So track your periods, ladies, keep an eye on what your periods are doing, and just be mindful. If they are very erratic, definitely things like running are not gonna be suitable for you because they're gonna cause you injuries because your ligament's gonna be a bit more lax, which means that they're not gonna be supported.

SPEAKER_01 7:55

That's a very good thing to say to track your periods because as soon as those fluctuations start, you have absolutely no idea how long it's gonna be until you actually hit menopause.

SPEAKER_02 8:06

Yeah, because some women it goes on for well I know I was eight years.

SPEAKER_01 8:09

Oh, was you really? Yeah, eight years from when I for those fluctuations in my periods and the brain fog. Oh wow, the brain fog, that's it was worse than it is now. Um, and it was eight years. Cycling. Let's talk about cycling. Cycling is this, you know, there's no impact in cycling.

SPEAKER_02 8:23

No impact in cycling. However, when we get some women get problems down below.

SPEAKER_01 8:30

We are talking dryness, aren't we?

SPEAKER_02 8:32

We are talking dryness, we are talking dryness. We did a whole podcast on the vagina, but cycling can be really uncomfortable for some lodge.

SPEAKER_01 8:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 8:46

So just if that's your if you are starting cycling in your menopause and post, just be aware of that. And you can get swimming's probably the best option. Swimming. Yeah. We've gone from one to the other. Uh swimming, yeah. If you've got knee problems or hips, be careful with the old breaststroke. That's the only thing I'm gonna say. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 9:10

Because breaststroke's not good for the lower back either, is it?

SPEAKER_02 9:13

No, there's a don't just don't do breaststroke with the break. Don't do it, yeah. Just don't do anything.

SPEAKER_00 9:20

Just scully along. Just scully along. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 9:23

Okay, so yeah, and also the thing about water is that a lot of you know, you can't just go in there if you're getting a flare-up and you just want to and it's quiet, you can just run up and down, can't you? Yeah. And just very true. Or aqua, aqua bobbies. Yeah, you wouldn't get me going to one. No, you wouldn't get me going to one either. That's because I can't swim, okay. Neither can I I've tried. I had swimming lessons for the last time two years ago, and I was doing ever so well. This is God's honest truth, right? He got me swimming a little bit, he got me in the deep end, he got me in the deep end. Sounds like a pornographic thing. Uh, it was really good. And then one day I went there, he went, Sarah, off you go. And I went, No. And he went, What do you mean? No. I said, not today. Don't want to do it. I'm paying for these lessons. And he was like, What do you mean you don't want to do it? I said, My brain is telling me not to do it, and that something bad's gonna happen to me if I do it. And then I went into a panic mode, and then that was it. And up to that point, I was top student, yeah. Yeah, next to the child next to me. The three-year-old. It's true, it was true. There's a little scale jumping in, and I'm like, Well, that's like when I learned to ride a bike, and we're really getting off time.

SPEAKER_01 10:59

I I learned to like ride a bike in my 30s.

SPEAKER_02 11:02

Sorry. I've got to tell you this, this is so bad. I know we're digressing, but yeah, this was about 15 years ago. I went to a cycling centre. I never learnt as a kid, okay, and and I was petrified, and they said, Well, take the suspensions off, take the wheels off, and all you can do is put your feet on the floor and you just move. And I was like, Okay, so we did that. Six weeks later, I'm still doing that, right? And then she said, Sarah, we need to we need to up this now. She put the pedals back on, so she took the pedals on. I don't know what it's a suspension, and then I was like, I can't do this anyway. This little kid in a barbie bike came out of nowhere and rode next to me with no no what do they call stabilisers, yeah. Stabilizers, no stabilizers, and I thought, this is taking a fucking piss now. So I thought, come on, Sarah, do it. And I did it, yeah, and I rode it, and then you're gonna laugh at this. And I thought, I'll do this. Is when I was running, I'm gonna do a duathlon. So I got this guy.

SPEAKER_01 12:05

I didn't even laugh at my face dropped. I was like, what'd you do that for?

SPEAKER_02 12:08

And then this guy came and I go to I was going at Red Bridge Cycling Centre, and then the the hills are high. And I said to him, I need you to show me how to change gears. I said, This is what's gonna happen. I'm gonna go towards, you're gonna, we're gonna go towards the hill, which is gonna drop. You're gonna say to me, we're going down the hill, I'm gonna say to you, I'm not going. You're gonna say to me, we're going down the hill, I'm gonna say, we're not going. And then you're gonna say it again, I'm gonna tell you to piss off, and then you're gonna shout at me, and you're gonna say to me, Sarah, do it now. And then that's what I need from you to do. And that's exactly what happened. And then we shouted at me after I told him to F off, and then I went down the hill, and I was fine. But for some reason, my brain just and I think it is a it's definitely a peri manifolds thing. It went into like panic mode, um, being fearful about doing things and shut off, but yeah, but I haven't been back on it since, and that was like a few years back. But the same with swimming, the fear just took over me, uncontrollable, like no. So I can't so when my when I go and see a physio from my joint cell, go in the pool. I'm like, for fuck's sake, I can't I can't do it. I've tried. Anyone listen to this that wants a challenge that's a swimming instructor? Don't just don't contact me because it's not gonna happen. It's not gonna happen.

SPEAKER_01 13:35

I I can go away on holiday for you know a week, two weeks, and not even get in the pool once.

SPEAKER_02 13:42

I'm going away next week. I've got my float, I'm taking my floating.

SPEAKER_01 13:46

I love loved ones. Mesh, mesh.

SPEAKER_02 13:50

Okay, so what other cardio have we got?

SPEAKER_01 13:53

Um we've done fast, but what about walking?

SPEAKER_02 13:56

What about interval like uh hill tr heel training on the treadmill? Yeah, that's a treadmill.

SPEAKER_01 14:02

But you've got things like cross-trainers, you've got ski ug, skiing.

SPEAKER_02 14:06

But what I mean, really going up high on those interval, you know, the the treadmill. I don't like that. I think that's too much pressure.

SPEAKER_01 14:12

No, too many people just go really high and hang on anyway. So they don't realize they're not doing anything. Like, hang on, like hanging on for DLI.

SPEAKER_02 14:20

Okay, so strength training, definitely.

SPEAKER_01 14:23

Yes, definitely. We need that pull of the muscles on the joints, on the joints, on the bones. Um, but it doesn't have to be weights. You can use resistance bands, yes, you can use body weight, but body weight I think still comes under, you know, you can do things like push-ups, yes, um, body weight squats, body weight lunges, all of that sort of thing. Yeah. That's all gained so that that comes under the resistance banner as far as I'm concerned.

SPEAKER_02 14:49

Yeah, anything that is putting weight on a bone to help the density is a good thing.

SPEAKER_01 14:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 14:57

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 14:58

Jumping. I like jumping, but I don't do too much of it. Okay. When you say jumping, what do you mean? Skipping? Yeah, you can do a bit of skipping, but no. It's it's too continuous. So I tend to do for my own self and with my clients, I will do plyo jumping, you know, box jumping.

SPEAKER_02 15:15

Oh.

SPEAKER_01 15:16

But we don't do a lot of it.

SPEAKER_02 15:17

No, and that I think that's key because I've got a confession. I've um I there are things that my consultant has told me I can do, which is not many, and what I can't do, for instance, he said, don't walk up hills and stairs. Well, I live in a house and I live on a hill, so it's like I can't leave. Do you know what I mean? Anyway, but I'm thinking, well, hang on a second, I need to be able to get up the stairs as I get older. So I add only a few minutes, I do do a stair climber at the end of a workout. Oh, I love a stairclim. Because for me, I need to be able to walk up a set of stairs. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 15:57

I'm sorry if we stop walking upstairs, we won't be able to. Your body will not be able to do it.

SPEAKER_02 16:03

I need to be able to. That is part of a functional movement.

SPEAKER_01 16:06

That's so for me to avoid that, not just seems like an exercise that most people do not think about. Go on in menopause.

SPEAKER_02 16:14

Go on. Sex?

SPEAKER_01 16:15

Pelvic floor. So sort of. No, pelvic floor. No, no, go for it. Pelvic floor, pelvic floor. We don't exercise the pelvic floor enough. No, we don't know. You know, at any point, we should be as mothers. I'm looking at the camera. We should be teaching our daughters to do pelvic floor exercises from a very young age. In fact, we should be teaching our sons. It's like one of the things that I always did. I've got three boys, and one of the things I always made sure I did when they were younger is I was never that mother when we were leaving the house that said to her child, Have you used the bathroom? Because and that's where now I'm talking boys and girls, we should be teaching our children to hold it.

SPEAKER_02 16:58

Okay, but so uh give us a little tip uh on how we do pelvic floor.

SPEAKER_01 17:04

Pelvic floor exercises. Well, the thing is, it's like a lot of people don't realise, they just think it's a case of just like pulling up on the pelvic floor, but it's more of a case of you really have got three areas of your pelvic floor that you should be able to consider you hear the tapping. Yeah, that's my Paula is uh Paula is on my cows. That was really hard for me not to use my hand. Show me the three taps. The three taps you've got there the one that's round your rectum, the one around the womb, and the one around your urethra. Yeah, had to think for a second. And all each section you should be able to pull up individually on your pelvic floor, and also it's a you know, it is just a case of contracting it and releasing it, but then oh uh to begin with. Are you doing yours now? Yeah, of course we are. We could not see me. It's so strong, but we should be able to look at it in floors as well, yeah. You know, think about that elevator analogy where you've got ten floors and you should be able to tank it up through the ten floors, and it is so especially if you are someone who exercises regularly, it is so easy to put it into your routine.

SPEAKER_02 18:13

How okay, so let's have an exercise, um, a very let's think of a very like a squat.

SPEAKER_01 18:21

A squat listening. See, I would I I don't think I would necessarily think about my pelvic floor and squats unless I was heavy squatting.

SPEAKER_02 18:27

All right, tell us tell us about an exercise that you would.

SPEAKER_01 18:30

Um I would probably put it in part of the uh an end of a workout while I'm either doing stretches or core.

SPEAKER_02 18:37

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 18:38

So if I was doing core work, of course, you're doing sets.

SPEAKER_02 18:40

Should we talk about a plank? Because most people know what a plank is. Would you do it in a plank?

SPEAKER_01 18:44

Yes. Yeah, I would hold, but it would be a it would be a a continuous contraction. But that's because that's the that's the Pilates side of me. Because I would be thinking about holding a plank, I would be thinking about a Pilates breath where you're inhaling over five counts and exhaling, and then when you exhale, you draw your navel in and you pull up on your pelvic floor at the same time. Okay. So in a plank position, this is actually quite nice if you're bringing toes together, and every time you exhale, you're also working on those adductors because they're all connected. Um but even I would probably put it more into say I was doing something like a Russian twist.

SPEAKER_02 19:23

Okay, can you explain to someone trying to explain to someone what a Russian twist is?

SPEAKER_01 19:28

Russian twist is when you sit on the floor, you lean back, ideally lift your feet up off the floor as well.

SPEAKER_02 19:36

Like a V shape, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 19:38

And then rotate from side to side to tap in the floor if if you're a beginner. Okay. Or holding a weight play a kettlebell. That's a good one to I would no, I'll do that exercise, but while I'm sat there in between sets, yeah, I would sit and do pelvic floor exercises.

SPEAKER_02 19:56

So during the pelvic I don't know what Paul is doing with her finger there and you can't see.

SPEAKER_01 20:04

But you but you you do understand it's like you could be doing the chest press in the gym on the chest press machine. When you're resting, that 30 seconds to a minute that you're taking in between each set, yeah, sit and do your pelvic floor exercises.

SPEAKER_02 20:17

I love that. I think that's a really good because that's very similar to me saying about my stretching, that I get my stretching in at the end of my workout.

SPEAKER_01 20:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 20:25

And that would be something that you could put into your workout. I think that's a very valid point. Well done, Paula. That's all right. Do you want applause? Yay, give me one. Give me one applause. Definitely not giving you. Okay, what other exercises? Uh so we talked about pelvic floor, strength training, some cardio, balance uh balance. Balance, mind and body. Balance, because balance, my god. I get so many people when they come in that they've got injuries, let's say they've injured their calf muscle, yeah, and we're rehabbing, and they're like, I'm like, stand on one leg, and they're like, I can't stand on one leg. Close your eyes. I can't close my eyes down. It's very basic stuff, but it is essential as we get older, proprioception work, balance, which is good, and also helps your core work as well. So that balance stuff we can get worked into our workouts, can't we? Can do it at home, can't we? Just stand up and just clean your teeth on one leg. Yeah, shut your eyes, make it harder.

SPEAKER_01 21:29

Yeah, all of that sort of stuff. Yeah, you know, I think Pilates, for me, you've got the yoga and you've got Pilates, but I personally think if you're headed, you want to start improving your balance, you aim for Pilates before yoga. Okay. Because yoga, you know, all of a sudden they've got you and a half moon and you're like, what? Wait, wait, wait.

SPEAKER_02 21:48

And also, there's a there's a massive thing on about reformer now.

SPEAKER_01 21:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:52

Reformer classes. Yes. Which I don't like unless it's one to one. Yes. Because I feel that you could.

SPEAKER_01 22:00

Easily go wrong. As you know, I'm reformer qualified. Yeah. I think you know anyway. I do know. I know, I know a lot about you, Paula. And I prefer Matt Pilates. You know, you're dealing with a lot, because the thing is and there's a lot of people that go into these it's the latest craze, isn't it? It's like sin was 20 years ago.

SPEAKER_02 22:19

But I years ago I had a client, and I think you all appreciate this. She said to me that I did um months of reforma one-to-one. She said, because she got told by the instructor, wait for it, that I'm gonna get you to do reforma first, then we're gonna go back to mat. Because when you go back to the mat, it will be easier for you. You'll understand the mat workout.

SPEAKER_01 22:46

See, I think it's the other way around.

SPEAKER_02 22:48

So you think that mat first, then reformer? Yeah, yeah. I agree.

SPEAKER_01 22:52

Because there's too much to to think about with the reforming though, you've got these springs, there's a lot of balance involved, especially.

SPEAKER_02 22:59

I've been watching it and I'm like, oh, that can be quite dangerous.

SPEAKER_01 23:02

Yes, yes. And you know, I do know of people that I shouldn't laugh. I've I've been told of people that have fallen.

SPEAKER_02 23:11

Oh no, I can imagine in the reform.

SPEAKER_01 23:13

I can imagine, you know. Can I just say maybe I shouldn't say it, but if you're gonna go to a reformer class, if it's got more than eight beds in it, leave. Run. Run for the heels. Yeah, I agree.

SPEAKER_02 23:30

I th yeah. If you've never done if you've never done it before, I'd I personally would not go straight to a reformer no dealing with I might go with a one-to-one instructor, but I would definitely not go to a class because I think that's just accident waiting to happen. Exactly. That's just my thought. Um Bitcrum yoga.

SPEAKER_01 23:54

I don't know much about Bitcrum, but I've I'd love I would love to try it. I haven't done many, many years ago when Bitcrum's first came um to the headlines, so to say, there was a um a couple of reports, news reports, of people getting listeria. What hysteria? Because it was always it's hot. The seat was at the time, it was very much hot and steamy. Yes, yes, yes, and it's it's put me off. I won't go for that reason alone.

SPEAKER_02 24:26

I went I went in my perimenopause and I stopped because I got injured. Really? Yes, because um now bitch works for many people, all right. So if you are one of those, good luck, and I'm glad it works for you because it's amazing. Yeah, you come, you go in. I remember I used to drive to the class, I was angry. I do the Bitcrum, I come out, anyone could cut me up, it wouldn't bother me. I was like so chilled. However, it's a lot of holding on one pose, and they have this expression way back, way back, way back, way back. And what they want, they want you to overextend in a position. Everyone in that class has a different physique. Yes, everyone's anatomy. Some people have injuries, some people don't tell the instructor they've got injuries because maybe they think that the bitcrumb's gonna help them. Some people they are less flexible, and from an instructor point of view, they basically see you all as the same, yeah, and they push you to go back. So, with me, I had a few injuries, my little gangliene came back on my cyst, uh on my cyst or my wrist, yeah, it popped out during a prone cobra stretch. Um, and then after that, I thought this is clearly not working for me. So I haven't been back since. But not to say it doesn't work for others, but I again I would not go in a period when your ligaments are loosey-goosey.

SPEAKER_01 26:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 26:02

So when you're in your peri um and you're getting that problem of big periods, heavy periods, do not go to Bikram. Yeah, there's not, you're not talking about it's not just about the ligaments, but it's all about the dehydration as well, where you're losing all those electrolytes, and that can cause you more harm than good. Uh, what else have we got? Anything else? Any other forms of the chip?

SPEAKER_01 26:25

Well, I did mention Tai Chi.

SPEAKER_02 26:26

Oh, Tai Chi is amazing, it's so good, especially for people that have got chronic pain. Yeah, so good. It's all very, you know, centered and slow and works on the acupuncture channel, so and Qi Gone. You ever done Qi Gon? No, never. Neither have I, but I heard it's good. Okay, we'll have to maybe we should go together. Maybe we should go. I've got a video.

SPEAKER_00 26:49

I've still got the old video, but it's a Qi Gone video. Qi Gon does Alice.

SPEAKER_02 26:57

Okay, Paula, I want to talk to you about menobelli. Menobelli. So um a lot of women get it. A lot of women have the middle aged spread. Yes. And that sounds that for you, that could mean a we're going back to my sex life. Um, okay, reframe. All right, so I want to ask you a question. Now ask me anything.

SPEAKER_01 27:27

All right, you maybe need an answer. Anything asked.

SPEAKER_02 27:31

We know the reason why. We get it. And a lot of people are saying that if you do a lot of exercise, a lot of strength training, um, a lot of abdominal exercises, a lot of Pilates, that you're gonna get a six-pack, a four-pack. But most women end up with a one-pack. Exactly. So why?

SPEAKER_01 27:59

I one of the things, and I'm not even talking about menopause, I've always said to people is we all have a six-pack. We all have one, and it's just the amount of fat that's sitting on top of it. Okay. So if you're gonna do a million crunches, that fat is just gonna stick out even more. Yeah, and also you're the muscle will get bigger and it just pushes, yeah, and it just pushes the. I I don't like crunching, by the way. It the the muscle, if you train the muscle, it's gonna develop. If that muscle's developed and it's got fat line over it, that fat is going to make your belly look even bigger.

SPEAKER_02 28:40

Okay, so an example would be okay, they're not in their menopause, but a strong man.

SPEAKER_01 28:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 28:46

Because if you see, I love watching that program.

SPEAKER_01 28:49

Strong man.

SPEAKER_02 28:50

They have got guts. Yeah. Yeah, they've got guts because of what they do, but they have got guts, and there's a reason they've got guts. Yeah, and they've got big old abs in there. Yeah, exactly. They're underneath. Because you can see that. I think it's Terry Hall. I follow Terry, I think he's amazing.

SPEAKER_01 29:06

He's ripped now, isn't he? He is, and but then he's got he's got an amazing six pack, hasn't he?

SPEAKER_02 29:12

The reason behind that though, Paula, is because let's get a little drum roll. How did he get it? Because of nutrition. Yeah. Nothing to do with the fan.

SPEAKER_01 29:26

It's what it's what you're putting in your mouth that gives you a six-pack. You have to, you know, that's the only way you're going to get one. Seven, don't even say it, don't do it, Sarah. Don't do it. That's what makes you lean. Yes. It's what you put in your mouth. The muscle is there. That I actually had a personal trainer many years before um I'd became, you know, part of the fitness industry myself. I still see him. He's a lovely guy. He's like my fitness guru. And he was the person who actually first ever said to me, because uh we didn't mention I used to be overweight, he was the first person who said to me when I was training weight train when I decided I wanted to change my life and get fitter. I was just doing cardio, cardio, cardio. And his words were if you weight train when the fat goes, the muscles will be there. And he's right. Yeah. You know, the if you work on the muscle, yeah, it's it's going to improve, it's going to develop. But if you're carrying too much body fat, you're not going to see it. Exactly. And the having six pack abs is all about diet. It's achieved by doing all those crunches. No, no, it can't, you can't get rid of it that way. It is. It's all diet. Diet, diet, diet.

SPEAKER_02 30:39

So if we're saying to women now, okay, about we've said about exercises. But someone coming into you that's never exercised before in their life, they want to get strong. Yeah. Yeah. They want to be able to lift things off the floor. They want to be able to, in their later years, have good bone density. They don't want to be the one that gets told they got osteoarthritis.

SPEAKER_01 31:03

They want to feel good. They want to have we're we're basically talking about every single thing that we mentioned earlier. Absolutely. We talked about resistance, we talked about cardiovascular, we talked about mind and body, we talked about flexibility, and that count that is for everybody.

SPEAKER_02 31:18

Okay, so let me rephrase it for you. So, how are they gonna put that into their work? Let's talk about rest days, let's throw that in there. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 31:28

All right, because on socials, apparently, you have to train every day. But for me, a rest day, so I'm having a rest day today. Yes, I am having a rest day. Are you? I am, I'm having a rest day. I taught a class this morning, but it was a class that I don't have to participate in. Yeah. And then I'm going to yoga this evening.

SPEAKER_02 31:49

Exactly. So that's restful. Yes. That's restful. So like a walk would be restful. Yeah. So you could so potentially this person, you could make up a seven-day programme with them with some rest days in there.

SPEAKER_01 32:02

Yeah. How would you what would you do? What would I do for that person? Well, the thing is, the problem is, Sarah, you're saying that someone is walking in and this for the first time. I don't know them enough yet. Until I don't write programs for someone I do not know.

SPEAKER_02 32:17

And I just want to say that's the response I wanted from you. Yay. Because that's what I'm trying to get at. Yeah. Everyone's different. Everyone's different. Everyone, you train differently, I train differently. Not everyone has the same function, but the most important thing is that when you go into learning, so let's say you're going to the gym for the first time ever, you know, there's and you see all these women and they're lifting weights. You know, I I always thought for myself, when I go in, I have to train differently to how I trained before because of my joints. So now after a flare up, I have to go in very slowly with one set. I have to go in very light. And if it's happy that day, and it's happy the next day, then for me, I can go to two sets. And that's how I build up my training, and then I gradually get to three sets, and then I start lifting the weights very slowly to make sure that I don't rock the boat. How would you explain that to someone that's not gone into the gym? Would you say start off with one set? Would you start? How would you what would you tell them to do?

SPEAKER_01 33:26

Well, as as I said, you know, most uh I for me, I'd need to know the person. I'm not I'm not going to tell but if for someone who's just wants to if someone just wants to know what to do within the gym, yeah, I would tell them that you know you go in, warm up, yes, mobilize as well. You know, the things silly things we don't think about doing like shoulder rolls and the snowfield fluid. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because of that sort of stuff. And I If there's someone who, though, because it depends on the individual. So if it's someone who's been using a gym already but they're not sure what, you know, they want to start taking their fitness on another way. I wouldn't necessarily say, you know, you don't have to warm up on jumping on a on a rowing machine or you can warm up with weights. Yeah. For me, but go in, do a light set. That's another way of mobilising. Yes, that's right. And then go on to if you want to do like a couple of sets, then that's fine. Yes. And if you want to do five sets, that's also fine, but then start keeping it. But there's so many different ways of training. Because you know, you've got heavy work where you would be resting two to three minutes in between. You've got your lighter more endurance stuff where you're looking at um 30 to 45 seconds, maybe 60, depending on what it is, um, in between. So it is very down to individual.

SPEAKER_02 34:44

And why does someone have to rest two to three minutes in between when they're doing heavy weights?

SPEAKER_01 34:49

When they're doing strength training, because they want full muscle recovery, okay. So that your next set you can complete. If you don't rest long enough, you won't be able to complete the exercise.

SPEAKER_02 34:58

And that's that's it, that's actually essential for you to avoid any injuries, right? Yeah, and also it's I mean, we're talking about just getting in there and just doing the basics, yeah. But there's also the way that the body moves, the body functions, what's tight, what's not tight. Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 35:17

And that's that's the problem because that goes back to what you were saying about yoga. Yeah. You know, that's and it does, it does like I said, I had to find the right yoga teachers to go to because I've been to yoga classes and they've tried to bend me into but you know, they look at me, they think, Oh, she's fit, and they're trying to bend me into positions. My body doesn't need to go. That's right. You know, I've got long arms, I've got long legs, I've got a tiny little body, yeah, and and there's certain things my body refuses to do. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 35:42

And I and I just want to say about technique. Technique is I when I get patients come in and they've they've hurt themselves, okay, and they want to know about going back in. I always give them the same advice, and it is technique. Forget about what you could push, lift, whatever. You go back in, you re-look at your technique because there's something you're doing.

SPEAKER_01 36:08

Video yourself.

SPEAKER_02 36:09

Video yourself, yeah. Yeah, I'm not I'm on the yeah, no, no.

SPEAKER_01 36:13

I'm not one I'm I don't mind cameras in gyms. Oh, I hate them. Oh, I don't mind them at all. You know, it's but as long as that person isn't upset about you walking in their camera, you know, that's one thing.

SPEAKER_02 36:25

If you're filming for that reason to look at your technique, I don't see anything wrong with it. If you're filming it for your socials, yeah, that's different. But yeah, focus on your technique, get your technique right before you increase your weights, you know, because otherwise, if you start off with shoddy technique, that's when you're gonna start to pick up injuries.

SPEAKER_04 36:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 36:46

And as we get older, those injuries take longer. Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 36:50

They take longer to heal, and they're actually more, they're more easier to get injured. See, I'm I'm one of the things that I I'm quite proud of is that when because I I do I teach to I teach group a lot of group exercise, and as a personal trainer, I like to make sure people have proper technique when they're training. Because there's a lot of people that don't, they just teach go in, they teach the class and it's like they leave again. But I I don't know how many times I say in a week, I don't want you to get injured. Yeah, you know, yeah, because a lot of people do, they walk into a class and they think, Men are a bit of a nightmare. Sorry, men, sorry, sorry, but when there's a woman stands at the front lifting heavy weights, they just want to wait back to you sometimes.

SPEAKER_02 37:35

Yeah, it's a bit of an ego, it's a bit of an ego. Um, but it yeah, I get what I get what you're saying, but it is about yeah, just technique is so important. There's so many people that I see in the gym, and I keep my mouth shut because when I go in the gym for me, I'm not in there as a a policewoman, but I see a guy, they see how much I lift, and then they try and lift the same, yeah, and then they can't lift it because their shoulders are forward or they're doing this or they're doing that. Because they don't have the right technique, they don't have the right technique, so yeah. So there's a lot of information. Paula, is there anything else that you'd like to uh say to our listeners uh about exercise in your menopause? To do it.

SPEAKER_01 38:28

Basically, you should we we we need to keep ourselves moving because exercise it does, it helps with so many things. Yeah, it helps with your stress, it helps with your anxieties, it helps with your hot flashes, it helps with your sleep, it helps with your mobility, your posture, everything. So we should just be doing it. We should and and I I personally think if you're going to start exercising probably before perimenopause is the best time. Yeah. Because I'm hoping there's people that are listening to this who are just interested because they know this is going to happen to them at some point. Yeah. But um yeah, uh start before, before you even because it may have started already, the perimenopause, but that is you know, just start exercising because also if you don't want to, you know, you're going through this perimenopause, but everything's falling apart. That's what it feels like. You can't remember anything, your joints ache. Why not put yourself in that situation where exercise is going to benefit you before it starts?

SPEAKER_02 39:29

I think that's I think you've summed it up beautifully. Absolutely beautifully. No, it's um it's really good advice there, and I'm just gonna add one more thing in focus on yourself, yeah. Stop worrying about what others are doing because a movement for you may be the only movement that you can do, yeah, and someone else might be able to do more or less, just focus on what you're doing. Exactly. Oh, Paula, thank you so much for your time today. Let's give Paula a little climb and Bowie. Oh no, that's amazing. So if you want to know more about Paula, some things about Paula, uh her details. Sarah knows too much. I know a lot about Paula. If you want to get in touch with Paula about some personal training, then do reach out and we can we can let you know. And she's on some socials, so all uh socials will be on our socials, so you can get in contact with her there. Yes. Uh, but no, it's thank you so much. Uh no, thank you, Sarah. It's it's amazing. Inviting me. Always love inviting you. So I think I'm gonna wrap this up now. So before we go, I just want to say to anyone that if you'd like to be a guest on the podcast, um, you don't need any experience in podcasting, as you can tell. Um, anyone is welcome to come on this platform. So whether you're someone that's approaching your perimenopause and you're slightly worried about it, or maybe you're in the thick of it and you want to talk about it. Maybe you've got an early menopause and you know you want to talk about that. So many things to talk about. Or if you have something that you specialise in, definitely do reach out. Um, and you can do that via the platform you're live listening on or via menopausedinners at gmail.com. So please remember to like, rate, and subscribe. Join any of the platforms just to let us know that we're doing a good job. There is now monetization button, as we are now non profit, so every little bit helps. So before you go, final thought. Menipour sucks, but with friends, it sucks a whole lot less. We'll see you next time on Menopause Dinners. Take care.