Best Exercises for Menopause Belly: Ditch the Doughnuts, Embrace the Dog Walk (For Warriors, Not Warlords)
Estimated Reading time: 3 minutes
Let's face it, ladies: the "menopause belly" is real. And it can feel like a betrayal, this burgeoning belly replacing your formerly flat (or at least flatter) midsection.
Before you declare all-out war on your stubborn midriff, hold your fire. We're ditching the intense training drills and cortisol-spiking sprints for something far more powerful – a strategic retreat of gentle movement and stress-less sweating - including three types of exercise that every perimenopausal and menopausal woman need for weight management, bone health, better sleep and improved urinary symptoms.
Picture this: you wake up to a beautiful sunrise, birds chirping like nature’s alarm clock, and you take a mindful step (no jumping jacks!) into the crisp morning air. Nature becomes your gym, the rustle of leaves your soundtrack, and your walk a slow, steady reclaiming of your body. That, weary warrior, is the secret weapon you've been searching for.
Stress-Less Sweating: Your Anti-Bloat Toolkit
Forget the HIIT classes and Instagram-worthy barre poses. Exercise that is too hard or intense in menopause pushes up your stress hormones, which can cause you to gain weight, sleep poorly, crave (and eat) sugar and just feel exhausted.
The best exercises for menopausal women include movement that whispers, not screams, and leaves you feeling energised, not utterly drained.
Exercise that is too hard or intense in menopause pushes up your stress hormones, which can cause you to gain weight, sleep poorly, crave (and eat) sugar and just feel exhausted.
Think gentle walks in nature, swimming, dancing in your PJ’s or a 90s dance party in your kitchen while making breakfast. Anything that gives you cardiovascular action for heart health and endorphins!
Walking is free. You can do it with a friend, you can do it up a hill, or even on a treadmill. So many options!
These small, consistent efforts add up to big results, both physically and mentally. Movement like this each day sees you meeting the Australian Guidelines for Exercise of 2.5 - 5 hours per week.
To get the exercise intensity right, make sure you’re huffing and puffing, but can still carry out a conversation.
Strength Without the Strain: Building Resilience, One Step at a Time
Lifting weights? Really? Absolutely! This is the second type of exercise that your menopausal body needs.
Think of it this way - muscle is the metabolic powerhouse that burns fat, and it helps you maintain good bone health.
The Australian Guidelines for Exercise recommend at least two strength-based sessions each week - and there are a few ways you can achieve this.
You can do bodyweight squats while brushing your teeth, lunges while watering the plants, or bicep curls with your favourite water bottle – these are strength building powerhouses disguised as everyday chores. Studies show even light strength training can burn more calories and strengthen bones, keeping osteoporosis at bay. Remember, consistency is key, not Olympic levels of effort.
In addition to building strength-based work into your everyday chores, consider working toward completing two intentional strength-based sessions each week of at least 30 minutes.
This could be a gym circuit, yoga, or doing a series of bodyweight exercises.
We recommend you find an exercise professional who specialises in working with menopausal women, to help you with a few sessions that ensure you’re exercising safely, correctly and at the right intensity for this stage of life.
Sleepless Nights? Move Your Body, Claim Your Rest
Tossing and turning? Move it!
A 2023 study found that moderate-intensity exercises like these can also help you sleep.
The third type of exercise that suits menopausal women is calming, restorative movement like yoga, pilates, qi gong or tai chi can help to improve balance and mobility while reducing your stress levels at the same time. Lowering stress is vital in menopause.
A 2023 study found that moderate-intensity exercises like these can also help you sleep.
Deeper, more restorative sleep means your body will complete it’s vital rest and repair processes. Get a good night’s sleep and you'll wake up feeling refreshed, focused and with renewed fire.
Sage Women's Health: Your Partner in Warrior Training
Feeling overwhelmed? You're not alone. Sage Women's Health understands the unique challenges of perimenopause and menopause. We offer personalised education and coaching services to help you eat well, exercise safely, manage stress, manage weight gain, combat fatigue, and reclaim your hormonal harmony.
We’re cheerleaders, not drill sergeants, and we’re here to help you on your journey to reclaiming your fierce inner warrior queen.
We’re cheerleaders, not drill sergeants, and we’re here to help you on your journey to reclaiming your fierce inner warrior queen.
Ladies, embrace the gentle power of movement, even when the world feels like it's spinning on fast-forward.
Small steps lead to big victories, and every mindful movement is a step towards banishing the "menopause belly" but even better, rediscovering the confident, radiant warrior you've always been.
Ready to reclaim your power? Let's go!
References/Citations
Copy and paste your references here and use Harvard Style format.
Australian Physiotherapy Association. https://australian.physio/. Accessed Jan 3, 2024.
Buckley, T. P., & Sahker, D. R. (2023). Exercise, menopause, and sleep: A narrative review and update. Journal of Sleep Medicine, 24(8), 1425-1436. doi:10.1093/jcsm/jac045
Sage Women's Health. https://www.sagewomenshealth.com/. Accessed Jan 3, 2024.
Nguyen, T.M. et al. (2020) ‘Exercise and quality of life in women with menopausal symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials’, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(19), p. 7049. doi:10.3390/ijerph17197049.
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