Menopausal-Slimming Down All Over what's up with the Core

Ivy

Cathlete
I have just finished a 90 day undulating rotation of X-Train and I have slimmed down nicely and I'm starting to see little muscles again. Ladies, help me out those who are perimenopausal or menopausal or post menopausal, what helped with getting your core to slim down. Summer will be here soon (I hope) and I know that you can't spot reduce, however, any advice? Is it just a matter of having patience? Also has anyone done that rotation of X-Train consecutively?

Thanks Ladies
 
I have just finished a 90 day undulating rotation of X-Train and I have slimmed down nicely and I'm starting to see little muscles again. Ladies, help me out those who are perimenopausal or menopausal or post menopausal, what helped with getting your core to slim down. Summer will be here soon (I hope) and I know that you can't spot reduce, however, any advice? Is it just a matter of having patience? Also has anyone done that rotation of X-Train consecutively?

Thanks Ladies
Low glycemic diet. In other words, drastic reduction in sugar, alcohol processed foods, etc. Plus stress reduction and plenty of sleep. And continuing workouts doing a moderate amount of core work.
 
Ivy, I've been there! I too love X-Train (one of my staples!) but wondered how my body would ever survive menopause as I seemed to plop on weight in the mid-section for no apparent reason. 8 years post-menopausal now and I finally figured out that I need to be STRONG - It's an acronym for the 4 pillars that make the foundation for my post-menopausal life: STress management, Rest, Optimal Nutrition and Getting active.

In terms of the optimal nutrition I just had to face the fact that I can't eat the way I did in my 30s and 40s. I had to cut way down on the BS in my life! That is Booze, Bread and Sugar!

And in terms of getting active, I now have to do what all good Cathletes already do - combo of hiit training, metabolic training, heavy weight training and core training, with a little bit of steady state sprinkled in. 6 days per week works best for me to keep that % body fat down to a reasonable level. Lots of variety, lots of consistency and lots of sweat!
 
Thank you so much ladies. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. If you don’t mind how many carbs do you think you take in daily?
 
I'm 46 and peri myself. I typically follow a paleo type food plan but got off track for a few months. Yikes. A good lesson that as I age it's more important to not do that!! Last year I did a 6 month rotation of STS, HiiT 2x a week and metabolic one day. I also threw in a round of Whole 30 (a divorce and a move had taken it's toll on my body and I needed a major kick in the pants). The results really spoke for themselves. I kind of find Whole 30 hell but it taught me sooooo much about my body and how I need to eat. Why oh why do I allow myself to get off track??

To answer your question, I don't know how many carbs. When I did Whole 30 I followed the plan for athletes. It adds a tiny bit more carb.
 
I’ve heard of whole 30. I will be starting STS soon so I might look into the whole30. It’s always helpful to get the comments because you never know what might work for you
 
I'm following an intermittent fasting program and eating Pegan. A cross between Vegan and Paleo. My menopausal belly has disappeared. Fasting two days a week. I have a couple of autoimmune problems, so no more grains for me. I feel 100% better.

I had my thyroid radiated about 20 years ago and now I’m menopausal to boot. The only grain I thought I had trouble with is wheat so I try to avoid that. I do think at this point it’s just best to try and see what works for you on an individual basis. I can’t necessarily go off the charts they offer as far as calories.
 
In terms of the optimal nutrition I just had to face the fact that I can't eat the way I did in my 30s and 40s. I had to cut way down on the BS in my life! That is Booze, Bread and Sugar!

I have to second cutting back on the BS (Booze, Bread, Sugar). I would also add pasta to that list. I lost 30 pounds during peri-menopause by joining Weight Watchers, eating mostly zero/low point foods and exercising a lot. I haven't quite given up on the BS, but enough to keep off the 30 pounds for almost two years now.

Shelbygirl
 
I have to second cutting back on the BS (Booze, Bread, Sugar). I would also add pasta to that list. I lost 30 pounds during peri-menopause by joining Weight Watchers, eating mostly zero/low point foods and exercising a lot. I haven't quite given up on the BS, but enough to keep off the 30 pounds for almost two years now.

Shelbygirl

Good to know and yes at this age there is no cutting back on exercising.
 
How am I supposed to work out at my age (57) when I have no energy? I'm sitting at my desk at work at 3:55 p.m. CDT right now and I can barely hold my eyes open. I am so sleepy.
 
On the never ending plateau, and worried about gaining. Yoga doesn't burn a lot, but I did notice I've maintained and lost in the mid section. Tracy A. workouts do that too, must be all the total bodyweight, all the planking. The other things are I just eat entirely too much food, and eating in the evening is especially bad, that's where it comes from for me. Sure of it.
 
Ahhhh growing older, thank God, but yes the mid section has spread. post menopause. :-( What have I changed to keep my post menopause core slim? I learned I needed to decrease my calories. Although eating whole foods, I was eating too much. Now two full meals and small snacks.

i had to tweak my eating style to portion control, what goes in me, and the timing of eating a meal. I found even though I exercise at least 6 days week of cardio & ST (cathe of course!!)I have to keep this balance in order to maintain my weight, strength, and a slim core. of course I do planks, obliques, stability ball, etc.
For me, I have found it is truly harder to maintain a slim waist post menopause. but i to exercise because it keeps my energy up and keeps me happy. i went from 167 to 150, took me almost a year, but again had to tweak eating & exercise.
 
How am I supposed to work out at my age (57) when I have no energy? I'm sitting at my desk at work at 3:55 p.m. CDT right now and I can barely hold my eyes open. I am so sleepy.
I feel ya. I cannot talk myself into working out when i get home so i do it before work - even if it's just 30 minutes. i hope you can find something that works for you! You will have so much more energy once you fit it back in regularly. good luck
 
Good to know and yes at this age there is no cutting back on exercising.

I find this statement to b true, there is no cutting back. in my 20’s,30’s, I could skip some exercise due job/kids, just busy. Now exercise/ST is a neccessity for the metabolism to brun calories. especially for the core and the triceps.
 
How am I supposed to work out at my age (57) when I have no energy? I'm sitting at my desk at work at 3:55 p.m. CDT right now and I can barely hold my eyes open. I am so sleepy.

You might want to check in with a doctor about your low energy. Here's a serious answer to your serious question:

I'm 64 and doing the STS Strength series for the first time, and it's going well. I get sufficient sleep (it varies with the season), eat for energy and health (main meal is a super-heathy protein/fiber smoothie for breakfast, similar to one Cathe posted in recipes section), and stay hydrated (very important for energy and mental acuity). When I eat, I try to make it tasty, but the real criteria is how I feel in 20 minutes, an hour, four hours out, and at the end of the day. I used Cathe's food planner for a month to balance my nutrients using real foods, instead of relying on vitamins, and that was helpful. It was more comprehensive than the app "My Fitness Pal" for tracking food. If that's too complicated, get enough protein, and have 2-3 servings of veggies/fruit with each meal. Cut back on processed carbs (sugar, white bread, etc.). Sugar and processed white flour can make susceptible people sleepy, so I mostly avoid them. There's plenty of info and plans out there. If you always feel tired at a certain time of day, eat some nuts and fruit just prior to that, and take a walk down a hallway or up some stairs to get your heart rate up a bit and your blood oxygenated and circulating. Don't huff and puff and exhaust yourself, just move. Think about something really nice to enjoy after work - it lifts your spirits. Maybe it's a lovely view you'll pass on the way home, beautiful music, a colorful salad you'll make for supper, the bliss of a hot shower, or a quiet read before bed. It will pull you forward and put a little life into you.

Assuming your health is okay, I think once you start to work out, your energy and spirits will lift almost immediately. Begin gently and work up to more, and this is important. As we age, our connective tissues (muscles and tendons) aren't as flexible and don't recover as quickly as they used to, which can leave you open to injuries that will sideline your workouts (been there). So take it gently and let your body build itself up to harder workouts later. Walking is excellent, but I've learned not to over-stride (more effort isn't always a good thing). If you feel exhausted the next day, rest and go at it more gently the next time. Keep going. Progress may be slow, but it's there. Without a fitness watch I would have given up after a summer of walking, but testing indicated I'd made real progress internally, so I kept going. The progress will be there, whether you wear a device or not. Slow walking can do you more good than fast-paced walking. Interval training (fast/slow/fast/slow) is even better, but you don't need to do that for a few weeks.

Cathe's workouts have been safe for me, but if I'm having trouble (pushups!) I modify as much as necessary, and make sure I don't get injured so I can keep on going the next day. Good form is a priority to avoid injury and get the most benefit from each move. Watch your form! Be smart and apply ice if you're sore the next day. It works.

Like driving in snow, it's not how fast you go, it's how far you get! My personal goal this year is to head off to age 100+ in great shape to enjoy a fully active, happy life and avoid the doctor's office, which means daily exercise for the rest of my life. I plan on building a solar aquaponics greenhouse (myself!) next summer to grow veggies, so I'm building muscle and stamina now. Take care of your body like you're going to need it until the end of your life. I've seen super-fit seniors, and visited relatives in nursing homes, and realize if you want to stay healthy, you need to do what it takes. It is possible.

Good luck!
 

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