With Menopause Awareness Day just passing on October 18th, it got us thinking about this significant phase of life. The menopause can feel like a storm of symptom: hot flushes, stubborn weight changes, joint pain, sleep disturbance and mood swings. When you’re feeling depleted or uncomfortable, movement may feel like the very last thing you want to do, but it can actually be one of the most powerful and accessible supports available.
At Bodyfixit, we want to empower you with tools that help you feel strong, balanced, and confident as your body transitions.
Lifestyle Medicine
This years theme focused on the power of Lifestyle Medicine, which is an evidence-based approach that uses therapeutic lifestyle interventions to treat and prevent chronic diseases. It is perfectly positioned to help women navigate the hormonal shifts of perimenopause and menopause.
The 6 Pillars of Lifestyle Medicine for Menopausal Health
To thrive through this transition, we encourage you to adopt a holistic approach:
- Physical Activity: (Pilates is key!) Ensure consistency, aiming for gentle movement most days to manage weight, improve mood, and maintain bone strength.
- Healthy Eating: Support your bones by focusing on nutrient-dense foods rich in Calcium and Vitamin D. Prioritise high-quality protein to help maintain muscle mass, which often declines during this stage.
- Restorative Sleep: Poor sleep exacerbates symptoms. Use the stress-reducing techniques learned in Pilates to establish a relaxing bedtime ritual. Ensure your room is cool to help manage hot flushes.
- Mental Wellbeing: The mindful, focused practice of Pilates provides an intentional break from stress. Additionally, finding time for other calming activities like reading or spending time in nature is essential.
- Avoidance of Risky Substances: Limiting alcohol and caffeine can significantly reduce the severity of night sweats and hot flushes, while also protecting your sleep quality.
- Healthy Relationships: Many women find immense benefit in sharing their experiences. Our classes offer a supportive community where you can focus on yourself, free from judgment, alongside others on similar journeys.
The key is that you don’t need to attempt punishing workouts. Pilates is inherently adaptable and supportive; and we can modify every move to meet you exactly where you are today.
Pilates: Your Foundation in Lifestyle Medicine
Our Pilates classes directly address the challenges of menopause, serving as the anchor for the Physical Activity and Mental Wellbeing pillars of Lifestyle Medicine. It is a gentle, yet powerful, exercise form uniquely suited to support your body’s hormonal transition:
- Joint Health & Flexibility: Declining estrogen can lead to stiffness and joint aches. Pilates involves gentle strengthening and controlled, mindful movement that helps lubricate the joints, easing stiffness without excessive strain.
- Bone Density Support: The risk of osteoporosis rises sharply after menopause. Pilates is a weight-bearing exercise performed against gravity, which stimulates bone-building cells. This is a critical investment in maintaining strong, resilient bones.
- Mood, Sleep & Stress Reduction: Hormonal fluctuations can cause anxiety and sleep disruption. The focused breathing central to Pilates helps to lower cortisol (stress hormones) and activate your parasympathetic nervous system, supporting better, more restorative sleep and lifting mood.
- Pelvic Floor & Core Confidence: Strengthening the deep abdominal muscles and pelvic floor – a primary focus of Pilates, is essential for reducing leakage, improving posture and restoring confidence in movement for daily life.
Find Support & Strength Here
The key takeaway is that you don’t need to “push through” or attempt punishing workouts. Pilates is inherently adaptable and supportive; your can modify every move to meet you exactly where you are today.
Furthermore, many women find that joining our classes offers not just physical benefits, but also a valuable sense of community and understanding, a shared space where you can focus on yourself without judgment.
If you’re navigating perimenopause or menopause, Pilates can help you feel supported and strong.
Come and try a class—you don’t have to go through it alone.
Source: https://www.imsociety.