In my last blog, I told about my story. Now I am going to tell you about the things I was naturally doing or not doing to help me through this tough transition, at such an early age. Some of these lifestyle factors helped me out emmensly! And some I wish I had known more about… so that’s why I am here now! To share what I know and take this stigma away from such an important time of every woman’s life!

#1 Aerobic Exercise!

I didn't know it at the time, but when I started down the path of peri-menopause (I was 32!) I had found a friend and reconnected with movement hobbies I enjoyed. I was active because it was fun, and it was fun because I had a friend to share it with! I was being social, getting exercise, relieving stress and improving my fitness.

So, I was hitting #1 on the list of lifestyle changes: Cardiovascular Exercise. Move more.

Keeping your body moving and in shape, is the #1 thing you can do to control and alleviate the symptoms of peri-menopause.

1. Get active, find a way to move. Meet up with friends, make it fun!

2. Move your body in different directions, on different surfaces (like tennis, hiking, trail running, soccer, dance)

3. Get your heart rate up very high multiple times a week! HIT training is great for this!

4. Take time for some slower, longer steady state exercise (zone 2).

5. Incorporate any type of jumping, hopping and cutting movements (plyometrics) like skipping, skating, jumps, hops, ladders drills, etc. or play a sport like tennis, basketball, volleyball, even pickleball, can get you this type of movement!

6. Keep track of your step count for the day, aim for 7,000k as a baseline. Move, move, move.