For all women menopause is something we can expect to experience at some point in our life. It generally happens in the 40's - 50's.
Symptoms of Menopause can vary from person to person, but it's quite common to experience:
Hot Flushes
Chills
Lack of energy
Night Sweats
Sleep Problems
Mood changes
Weight Gain
Slow metabolism
How to tackle menopause as a cyclist
Even though you may feel a lack of energy it is so important that you should keep cycling and exercising through menopause and beyond. Due to excess sweating make sure that you drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated on and off the bike. Due to weight gain and your metabolism slowing down you may want to reassess your diet and cut down on your carbs slightly and ensure you are getting an adequate amount of protein. Also, you may need to give yourself more time to focus on sleep. Weight training is also very good not only to build your strength on your bike, as through menopause your levels of oestrogen will drop, you will stop producing it naturally which can result in loss of muscle mass. Lack of oestrogen can also cause thinning of your bones, also referred to as osteoporosis. Strength training will help build stronger bones and build muscle. Check out my Strength Exercises for Cyclists.
How cycling can be your friend through menopause
Cycling can help you through menopause, the worst thing you can do is hang the bike up, it will be harder to get back on. Getting out on your bike is going to improve your mood.
Cycling will help combating the weight gain that you may experience through menopause and will help with increasing your metabolism.
Starting interval training on your bike may seem like a mad idea when you are going through menopause, but it will help with increasing your muscle mass and aerobic fitness. Who knows you may even get faster from it.
Book a Free Discovery Call to talk to me about how you would like to become a stronger cyclist!
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