Revised Owner’s Manual for My Midlife Body

Posted on 08. Aug, 2008 by Karen in Misc

  I don’t know about you but I’m on a mission to reclaim my waistline.  Somewhere in the middle of midlife it’s all but disappeared — the booby prize, I suppose, for making it through menopause without losing my mind.  As if the hot flashes weren’t bad enough. 

Along the way to whittle down and lose a stubborn 10 pounds gained during the big “M”, I’ve checked out exercise books, fitness programs, joined the “Y” and more.  But I’ve had a lot of fits and starts in my exercise strategy.  

Well I’m not alone, says Dr. Michelle Segar from the University of Michigan’s Institute for Research on Women and Gender.  I had a great dialog with Dr. Segar this week and she told me that according to her recent study on midlife women and physical activity, we ”of a certain age” exercise for 5 reasons:

  1. Weight loss
  2. Health benefits
  3. Stress reduction
  4. Sense of well-being
  5. Maintaining weight/toning

Of the 156 women in the study, published in Women’s Health Issues, 61% of them starting exercising for health reasons or to lose weight, like me — and maybe you too.  But surprisingly what Dr. Segar found is that ”women who exercised for these two reasons did the least amount of exercise“.  She explained that:

Women who exercised to lose weight were the least committed to maintain their physical activity goals.  Getting stressed about losing weight undermines their success.  And because most women want quick weight loss, their need for instant gratification shoots them in the foot, especially midlife women who juggle many roles and a lot of stress. 

The next least committed women were those who exercised for health reasons — the “should” factor, the socially acceptable reason.  This was an unexpected finding.  In contrast, women who wanted to enhance their well-being or reduce stress had the highest success in staying physically active.  They tended to choose exercise that made them feel good in the moment.

So what’s a woman in midlife to do?  When I posed this question to Dr. Segar, she switched roles on me and became fitness coach Michelle.  You see she doesn’t just study midlife women, she actually helps them achieve their fitness goals through her Essential Steps program.  

Michelle was initially inspired by her work with breast cancer survivors.  She created her own major in college on the socialization of women and then got 2 masters at U of M — the first in kinesiology and the second in health behavior and health education — and her PhD in Motivational Psychology.  Her focus has always been on why midlife women don’t get involved in or sustain physical activity.  And at 42, she says she’s “always been excited about getting older”. 

Since it looks like the rules have changed on how to stay fit in midlife, I asked Michelle what’s the new gameplan for someone trying to lose weight during or post menopause which is the hardest time to take weight off and keep it off.  She thinks the problem lies with women trying to learn 2 behaviors at once — exercise and nutrition.  She suggests that women start with exercise and make it a “self-care behavior” — a wonder drug.  Her advice:

  1. Start small — walking even just 2-5 minutes a day.  Do it for a month, put in on your calendar and leave yourself reminders.
  2. Find physical activities that make you feel good while you’re doing them — like a walk in nature, exercising with a friend or my favorite, great music on your iPod.
  3. Start with the end in mind — how do you want to feel when you’re 70 or so?
  4. Invest in yourself and decide that your continued well-being is worth learning how to create an exercise program you like and can stick with.

Next comes learning about nutrition, which Michelle says trumps exercise for weight loss.  So off I went to optimal health coach, Wendy Battles from Healthy Endeavors for advice — not on dieting but on good nutrition for midlife.  Like Michelle, Wendy says “keep it simple”. 

Nothing prepares us for the change in our bodies in midlife.  But you have to turn off the negative self-talk.  Start with 1 or 2 small changes.  Breakdown the steps and make permanent lifestyle changes.  Then the weight will come off. 

Wendy agreed to give me a little cheat-sheet to share with you.  Take notes and then head off to a great market like Trader Joe’s — my favorite.

  1. Eat more dark leafy green veggies which purify the blood, detox your system and give you lots of energy.  Changing your eating habits to create more energy then gives you more energy for physical activity.  Great greens include spinach, kale, collard greens, Swiss chard, arugula, beet greens and turnip greens.  And don’t forget great fruits like blueberries — Wendy’s all time favorite.
  2. Add in more whole grains.  Most of us don’t take in enough fiber which lowers cholesterol and prevents cancer (especially colon cancer).  Whole grains are complex carbs that give lasting energy which leads to — yes again, more energy for physical activity.  They’re also an inexpensive way to eat so stock up on brown rice, quinoa, spelt, oats, millet and couscous.
  3. Tune into your body.  Slow down with meditation, walking and yoga.  When you crave something to eat, is it salty, crunchy or sugary?  For me, it’s taco chips and salsa.  Wendy said reach instead for carrot sticks and a few Kalamata olives to satisfy my taste for something crunchy and salty.  And for sugary cravings, she suggests baking something with agave nectar, maple sugar or cinnamon (a big sugar satisfier).  As for that evening cocktail, let’s all say “empty calories”.  Choose wine or hard liquor with a big water chaser over sweet mixed drinks like Margaritas.  Ouch!
  4. Make food prep a positive experience because it helps you sustain healthy eating.  Create a system.  Play music.
  5. Get support for good nutrition.  Shop with your significant other or friends and prepare meals to split and share.

My impression after talking with Wendy and Michelle is that it’s time to throw out the old owner’s manual because in midlife it’s a whole different body with new guidelines for maintenance.  So while I go get some carrots to crunch on — what do you think? 

Has your body changed during midlife? 

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8 Responses to “Revised Owner’s Manual for My Midlife Body”

  1. Celeste

    09. Aug, 2008

    Dear Karen:

    I can absolutely relate to this topic. I may have mentioned to you earlier, I had an early onset of menopause….and yes….I THOUGH I WAS GOING ABSOLUTE, POSITIVELY NUTS…. until my doctor (bless her) told me I was menopausal and in fact post-menopausal by the time I found out.

    My closests friends would tell me Celeste, what the heck is wrong with you. I use to respond….. When I find out, I will certainly let you know because I really do not know at this point. Menopause had
    invaded my total being…..I am through the worst of it now and feel so much better….

    Karen, I walk four miles every day, except Sunday. I try and eat those wonderful green leafy vegetable and as far as fruit is concerned, I do eat blueberries and strawberries with non-fat Ready Whip in a can. This seems to calm that sweet tooth I have. I have put on three (3) stubborn pounds since menopause and will endeavor to take those pounds off. My brother says “those are your bones Celeste” . I just start laughing because he is probably right.

    Good luck with your weight loss Karen, but by looking at your picture you look GREAT….. !

    Celeste

  2. Karen

    09. Aug, 2008

    Celeste–

    Thanks for sharing your experience with menopause. For some of us it can be a wicked experience, others seem to skate through. But sounds like you’ve managed to come through without much damage. And the Ready Whip–I’m picking some up today. Forgot about that. As for my weight loss–lot of that is in my head as a result of the images I see everywhere. I’m doing OK and thanks for the positive affirmation, Celeste.

    Karen

  3. Julie

    11. Aug, 2008

    Has my body changed during midlife? Oh, *expletive* yes. I had an emergency hysterectomy a few years ago at age 44 and was not allowed hormone replacement therapy for medical reasons, so you could say I was abruptly thrown against the brick wall of menopause with a big, fat splat. Ever since then, I’ve had hot flashes, weight gain (including spots like my belly where I never really had a problem before), and pretty much zero sex drive. I’ve had weight issues my whole life and had lost about 80 pounds right before I turned 40; but now, over half of those lost pounds are back again, and trying to get rid of them is harder than ever. Honestly, I feel a lot closer to 67 than 47, and I don’t like it (no offense to the sixtysomethings out there, of course). I walk for a few miles almost every day and eat a reasonable (if not saintly) diet, but it’s not as effective as it used to be at keeping my weight down. Frankly, I don’t have much hope I’ll ever see 120 pounds again, but if I can at least find some way to shrink this new spare tire I have around my middle, I guess I’ll be (sort of) happy!

    – Julie

  4. Judith

    11. Aug, 2008

    Oh, yeah – menopause, my introduction to Suzanne Sommers Seven Dwarves – Itchy, B *%&$@#, sleepy, bloated, forgetful, all dried up and one more I can never remember because of – HELLO – menopause.

    In my youth I was blessed with that metabolism most women envy. I could eat anything and EVERYTHING (and did) and never gained an ounce. Now I struggle for a month to lose 3 or 4 pounds, then one “bad” day and I gain it all back.

    Though I’ve given up the boxes of chocolates long ago, is there anybody out there who can tell me how one pound of chocoates turns into five on your hips? Do the little fat cells take up residence only to throw a house warming party and invite all their firends?

    Just one bit of advice – even though I love the fat free whip toppings (and half and half for my coffee). Make sure to check the sugars and carbohydrates in all fat free products. Often times the amount is increased to make up for flavor lost in cutting the fat. Besides, sugars/carbs just turn into fat if you don’t burn it off.

    heavy sigh :-(

  5. Catherine

    12. Aug, 2008

    Hi Karen,

    I believe the best thing to do as women in midlife is accept our bodies as they are….assuming of course, we are talking good care of ourselves.

  6. Chris

    12. Aug, 2008

    I’ve never been much for diet, preferring chocolate crunching over carb counting but I’ve just come across a great book called The Abs Diet for Women that is simple and interesting. It talks about how a lot of us in midlife are eating the wrong foods for our bodies and how the fat that accumulates around our middles starts to act like an organ in itself, affecting our health. It has extremely simple recipes and exercises and I intend to give it a try to carve 10 pounds off my middle…not sure if I have the discipline to stick to it, but so far the food suggestions are easy to follow and my family doesn’t mind the recipes either (which will only make things easier). Plus, it encourages you to snack (healthy snacks, but snacks just the same) twice during the day, so it appeals to my need to nibble. Thanks for writing about this subject; it’s nice to know we’re not alone in the quest for better health.

  7. Karen

    13. Aug, 2008

    Julie–You’ve really been on the menopause roller-coaster! No matter what someone tells you or what you read, you’re never quite prepared for the wild ride. Check in the post for links to Michelle and Wendy’s websites. I’ve starting working on nutrition first with Wendy. She’s got a 4 week program coming up that you might be interested in. And if you’re ready to tackle fitness first, Michelle’s a great resource. Share your waistline “re-discovery” progress and I’ll do the same!

    Judith–OMG. Reading your post was like reading about my life. I was always thin and could eat whatever and not gain an ounce. Well, needless to say, those days are long gone. Glad you made the point about the sugar content of fat-free products. I now watch that more than I watch fat content. And I love your visual about the fat cells throwing a party. This week’s at my place!

    Catherine–the voice of reason here. Maybe that’s what midlife is about in some great part–accepting ourselves for who we are–physically as well as everything else. I think I’m having the hardest time doing that with the physical me. What about everyone else?

    Chris–I have the Abs Diet Eat Right Every Time Guide. It is very helpful in identifying the wrong foods and how to pick the right ones by decoding the food labels when you’re making a purchase. I’ll look at the Abs book for women. The whole Abs concept is pretty intuitive and easy to implement. Thanks for suggesting this book.

    Thanks everyone for your comments and insights! Karen

  8. Debbie

    22. Aug, 2008

    Karen,

    I am also on this menopause roller coaster of weight. Over the last two years I had lost 25 pounds. Then menopause kicked in and those 25 pounds came back in no time. I also have been dealing with a loss of energy and trying to get my self energized to exercise, even walking, and eating better. I have good days and bad but this is the most difficult time in my life for dealing with weight. I started taking hormones about 6 weeks ago and this has really helped with my hot flashes and sleep interruptions but has done nothing for my metabolism. I have to keep reminding myself that I need to work on this or it will just get worse. I already have 3 sizes of clothes in my closet and do not want to add another one higher than I already have. Trying to be positive while fighting the menopause monster! Debbie

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