The Wellness section of this site goes into great detail on why exercise is a great (dare we say, critically important) remedy for the symptoms of menopause, as well as against the effects of aging itself. Whether we exercise, how often and how we exercise are all very important. As Milestone women, we are smarter and more experienced than we once were. We are less inclined to waste our time, although willing to try new things. When we invest our time and energy, we want to do things that matter.
In a nutshell, we know that exercising a little bit every day in smart ways can beneficially affect virtually every system in the body. Our heart health, our weight, bones, and joints, our balance and brain, our mood and heat regulation can all be improved to some extent through exercise. Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day. Do some impact exercise if you can safely do it. Work on your balance and your core.
The holidays are approaching with their luxurious excess and plentiful rest. Following fast on their heels comes the need for re-balancing and finetuning for better long term success, and so… we bring you this timely topic:
We’ve asked Kelli Green, owner of Pilates Center of Cincinnati and enviably
strong and flexible Pilates teacher to weigh in on why Pilates might be an effective tool in our menopause Milestone arsenal.
Kelli is a mother, small business owner, former dancer and lifetime athlete.
“According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of Pilates is ‘an exercise regimen that is typically performed on a floor mat or with the use of specialized apparatus and aims to improve flexibility and stability by strengthening the muscles and especially the torso-stabilizing muscles of the abdomen and lower back’.
What started as a way to spend part-time working into a full-time Pilates teaching position and now studio owner, is how I have become addicted to the practice of lengthening, strengthening and maintaining muscle mass on my 50 + aged body. Not that I am a professional on any scale in terms of the best exercise method for a pre-menopausal, menopausal or post-menopausal woman but I do feel strongly about daily movement.
Many people can assume my goal is to be skinny. That’s far from the truth. My goal is to be healthy and to live long in a body that moves. “Everything in moderation,” is my mantra and it’s certainly manageable with daily exercise. When women reach the menopausal years, our memory slips, our bodies shift, our hormones rage and all the while we are expected to maintain civility, organization, and positivity. That’s hard to do. So I recommend increasing your endorphins by exercise. Not only will your mood be lifted, but also your mind will become clearer and your joints will stay flexible.
Attention spans wane as we age because we feel compelled to fit so much into each day. Finding an exercise practice that matches your attention is ideal. Most Pilates classes are shy of one hour. If you can dedicate three to four hours a week eating and sipping, surely you can find the same time to move. Pilates allows you to improve your posture, strengthen and lengthen your muscles, increase your balance and stabilize your core. And one of the hidden but most profound impacts of Pilates is being in a class full of friends. When you do something multiple times a week, you are bound to get to know at least one person better. Seeing a friendly face improves your spirit and that in itself is a simple strategy for menopause.”
– Kelli Green, Teacher/Owner, Pilates Center of Cincinnati.
You can find out more about Kelli and Pilates Center of Cincinnati in our People Who Know section.
To back Kelli’s first-hand expertise, we dug up some science that reinforces her observations that Pilates is a great way to help counter Milestone challenges. As always, please talk to your doctor before you start anything new, especially if you are fragile or at risk.
Scientific studies and clinical trials on the subject published within the last 5 years give us these promising findings:
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A single session of Pilates was shown to reduce hypertensive blood pressure for 60 minutes and may be a promising form of exercise to help lower blood pressure. The Journal of Strength Conditioning Research
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For the studied group of age 60+ women, 12-week Pilates exercise intervention had beneficial effects on sleep quality, anxiety, depression, and fatigue. Maturitas, The European Menopause Journal
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The effects of an 8-week Pilates exercise program on menopausal symptoms and lumbar strength and flexibility in postmenopausal women
showed a significant decrease in nearly all menopausal symptoms. The results also showed a significant increase in lumbar strength and flexibility after the 8 weeks. The Journal Of Exercise Rehabilitation -
An encouraging observational study of women ages 38-63 in a Pilates program was carried out for two 60-minute sessions per week for 12 consecutive weeks. The Pilates program seemed to improve both the physical and mental components of the participants’ quality of life assessments. The Journal of Integrative Medicine
As always, sources are linked and listed in our Resources section.
May your spine and core, like your spirit, be strong!
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