Active Menopause Life

29/03/2025

Strength Training in Menopause:
A Non-Negotiable for Health & Vitality.

Menopause brings hormonal shifts that can lead to bone loss, muscle decline, weight gain, and reduced metabolism
-but strength training is the ULTIMATE game-changer.

Builds muscle ✅
Supports bone health✅
Supports fat loss ✅
Improves join health ✅

As the weather gets nicer, don’t just rely on cycling, walking etc, it will not give the body everything it needs in menopause.

So, while walking is great, adding strength training, weight-bearing exercises, and flexibility work will help address all the challenges that come with menopause, providing a more well-rounded and effective fitness routine.

Why Strength Training is a Must-Do in Menopause 👇

✅ Prevents Muscle Loss & Boosts Metabolism
• As oestrogen drops, muscle mass naturally declines (sarcopenia), slowing metabolism.
• Strength training preserves lean muscle and keeps metabolism burning fat efficiently.

✅ Protects Bone Density & Reduces Osteoporosis Risk
• Weight-bearing exercises stimulate bone growth, lowering the risk of fractures.
• Helps prevent osteoporosis and keeps your spine strong.

✅ Combats Menopausal Weight Gain
• Muscle burns more calories at rest, making weight maintenance easier.
• Strength training reduces belly fat, which tends to increase with menopause.

✅ Balances Hormones & Improves Mood
• Lifting weights boosts serotonin & dopamine, reducing anxiety, depression, and brain fog.
• Helps manage stress & cortisol levels, which contribute to weight gain.

✅ Improves Joint Health & Flexibility
• Strengthens muscles around the joints, reducing pain and stiffness.
• Supports posture, balance, and overall mobility.

✅ Reduces Risk of Heart Disease & Diabetes
• Helps regulate blood sugar & insulin, lowering diabetes risk.
• Improves cholesterol levels & heart health.

Ideal Routine for Menopause:
• Strength training: 2-3 times a week.
• Weight-bearing exercises:
At least 2x a week.
• Flexibility and balance exercises (yoga, mobility, stretching, balancing, Pilates): 2x times a week.

If you only do 1 class a week it’s still less than the cost of ONE coffee.

I work with people weekly who regret not starting strength training.
It’s not too late for anyone but it is def harder for some of these people due to NOT starting strength work earlier and being consistent with it.
Don’t let that be you.

J x

23/03/2025

New recipe to enjoy this week

15/02/2025

Article from JC:

As you know I strongly suggest we don’t just use the scales to determine our results.
I encourage you to choose an item of clothing in your wardrobe to try on regularly.
To do measurements and pics.
But also to do the challenge tests too. Monitor your progress by reps, weights, heart rate, enjoyment, energy, mood etc.

This is why the scales aren’t always the best and why I say scales are for fish!!
Here I share alittle more reasoning behind it:,

1. Muscle Gain
Engaging in strength training or resistance exercises promotes muscle development. Muscle tissue is denser than fat, meaning it occupies less space but can maintain or even increase overall body weight. As you build muscle and lose fat, your body becomes more toned and compact, leading to a reduction in measurements without significant weight loss. 

2. Changes in Body Composition
Focusing on fitness and health often leads to a favorable shift in body composition—decreasing fat mass while increasing lean muscle mass. This recomposition can result in a smaller, more toned physique without a substantial change in total body weight. 

3. Water Retention
Factors such as high sodium intake, hormonal fluctuations, or inflammation from intense workouts can cause the body to retain water. This temporary water retention can mask fat loss on the scale, even as you lose inches and notice improved fit in your clothing. 

4. Measurement Variability
Scale weight can fluctuate due to various factors, including hydration levels, food intake, and time of day. Relying solely on the scale may not accurately reflect changes in body composition. In contrast, measurements of waist, hips, and other body parts can provide a clearer picture of fat loss and muscle gain. 

5. Weight Loss Plateaus
The body can adapt to a consistent exercise and diet regimen, leading to a plateau where weight remains stable. However, during this period, you might still be losing fat and gaining muscle, resulting in inch loss without weight change. 
This is also why we change things up weekly and give you new challenges regularly too. So your body and results don’t plateau.
Enjoy a 10 day free trial here
www.janettecardyfitness.co.uk

Hope this helps
J x

Whatever your goal, we will make it happen. We are experts in triathlon coaching, personal training, menopause health and life coaching.

01/02/2025

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Janette Cardy is passionate about health and wellbeing. And specialises in supporting all women from peri-post menopause. Offering workouts you can do anywhere, talks, recipes and life coaching. Enjoy this channel.