Weight Training to Assist the Menopause Transition

Menopause is frequently associated with senectitude, as this phase of life signals the end of the female reproduction. The patriarchal tie between menopause and physical decrepitness should leave you aghast, however, lack of attention to exercise in aging populations, and lack of provider attention to patient specific exercise regimens can result in manifestation of the diminished health and activity level of a post menopausal population.
Understanding that those who experience menopause will do so roughly between the ages of 45-54, while the average life expectancy of a woman in the United States is 77, reveals that by this association of senectitude and menopause, we are neglecting to value roughly two and a half to three decades of a woman’s life. During this phase of life, many women remain sexually active, provide childcare for their grandchildren, take on a caregiver role for aging family members, and navigate vasomotor symptoms and genitourinary syndrome of menopause all while maintaining previously established responsibilities of adult life.
During this timeframe, many women are looking to optimize their own health in order to maintain or regain a status of physical wellness. A great deal of benefit has been found in weight lifting and resistance training for peri-menopausal and post menopausal women. The benefits include improved balance, increased bone density, weight loss, muscle building, body fat burning and improved libido.
Weight and resistance training yields optimal outcomes when a program is individualized to a person’s own activity level, but consistently maintained three to five days per week, gradually increasing weight and resistance.  Bone density can be improved upon, even regained, with strength training. This has been shown to reduce risk of fractures later in life. Risk reduction for fractures in the aging population should be one of the greatest concerns of healthcare throughout the world. Fractures account for prolonged hospitalization and rehabilitation stays, increased dependence on full time caregivers, and risks for future falls and additional fractures.
Weight gain is a common concern among menopausal individuals. In fact, it is the most common reason menopausal women seek medical care related to symptoms of menopause. A regular weight training routine can help postmenopausal women to lose weight, lose inches in their abdominal region and promote overall health through the aging process. General guidance for exercise would be 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity exercise, or 75 minutes per week of high intensity exercise.