A WELLNESS advocate from London is urging women to embrace strength training as one of the best ways to prepare their bodies for the menopause.
With October being Global Menopause Month, Lisa Jedan – a communications expert and now creator and host of the MenoPositive podcast is keen to share how lifting weights, and nutrition, were secret weapons for her own perimenopause and menopause experiences.
Thanks to a combination of weight training and a protein-rich diet, Lisa went through her perimenopause largely symptomless, compared to many other women who can suffer distressing and debilitating symptoms when their oestrogen levels start to decline.
According to the World Health Organization, it is estimated that by 2030, the number of postmenopausal women worldwide is projected to reach 1.2bn, with 47m new women entering menopause every year.
During the menopause, declining oestrogen levels trigger profound changes in a woman’s body that go far beyond hot flashes and night sweats. Hormonal shifts drive increased insulin resistance, rising abdominal fat, and worsening blood pressure – a dangerous combination that accelerates the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and cognitive decline. Symptoms can range from fatigue, weight gain, and mood disturbances to joint pain and disrupted sleep, and without intervention these issues can cascade into chronic health problems that erode not just lifespan but health span.
Mother-of-one Lisa’s journey began a few years prior to her 50th birthday. She sought the help of global personal training specialists Ultimate Performance (U.P.), and was partnered with her trainer Aoife Okonedo Martin, based at U.P.’s Kensington gym.
Ultimate Performance has trained thousands of pre, peri and post-menopausal women across the world. To mark Global Menopause Month, U.P. has launched its ‘Stronger, for Life’ campaign, to inspire and educate women about the role strength training can play in preparing their bodies for hormonal changes.
Lisa said:
“I originally started weight training for aesthetic reasons. I had my daughter at age 39 and a wonderful career, but in my mid-40’s my body started changing, my skin was changing, things I used to do were no longer working and I didn’t feel like myself anymore.
“Like most women, I was fairly ignorant of menopause. Ten, even five years ago, we weren’t talking about it the way we are now. When my cycle ended – at first, I thought it was because I had lost so much body fat. When I went to see the doctor, I discovered I had been through perimenopause largely under the radar. In hindsight, I did have some symptoms, but I put them down to stress and life’s general busyness. However, my symptoms were nothing like what I read about in the media.
“What I didn’t know then, that I do know now, is the role strength training and healthy eating played in how I experienced menopause. I was actually preparing my body without knowing it and the U.P. programme helped put my body in the optimal state when my hormones started fluctuating.”
Following her own transformational experience, Lisa created the podcast and events company MenoPositive, empowering women with the knowledge and tools to take control of their health.
“Menopause is inevitable, and hormonal changes begin around age 35. What isn’t inevitable is how we experience it.
“As young women, when we get our period, through to midlife and menopause, we are sold a false narrative that it’s normal to feel awful – we just need to put up with it. Well, that’s not scientifically true. I want women to know that all symptoms are treatable, and suffering is not your destiny.”
From ancient wisdom to deep science, MenoPositive is a pick ‘n’ mix of information and tools for women looking to optimise their health. “It’s a small step towards changing the conversation because menopause is not the end. It can be a powerful new beginning,” continued Lisa.
Aoife, Lisa’s trainer, said: “What is so beautiful about Lisa’s story is that because of the journey she’s been on, it has inspired her to create a platform to support other women. I’m so proud of her. Her story has helped me with other clients as well, because I can show them a real, lived experience of someone who – even unknowingly – prepared their body for the menopause by doing all the right things.”
Research is showing that women lose 20% of their bone density in the first 5-7 years of menopause. Strength training and building lean muscle really is a non-negotiable.
Aoife continued: “We’re all living longer, but we also want to live healthier, for longer. You want to get up and out of your chair on your own, you want to lift your suitcase into the overhead compartment on your own. As oestrogen declines, strength training stimulates muscle building cells and bone growth. The more muscle tissue you have, the more metabolically active you are, helping keep insulin resistance down, which helps keep weight down. Never mind the positive boost to mood and energy levels!”
What about the fear of “getting bulky”?
“I always find this frustrating because as someone who previously trained as a bodybuilder, actively trying to put on muscle, ‘getting bulky’ doesn’t ever happen by accident,” Aoife said. “Building enough muscle tissue to grow visually, especially as a woman, is already challenging. It will take a consistent amount of time, effort and highly specific training and diet phases to achieve. Lifting weights isn’t going to turn you into a bodybuilder overnight – but it could save you from a hip fracture later down the line. What’s going to be more important when you hit your 70s?”
Do I need to drastically cut calories?
“This is about eating smarter, not eating less,” she continued. “It’s really important for women, especially in the perimenopausal period, to keep healthy fats in their diet. I think a lot of women instinctively cut all fat out of their diet, but hormonally, it’s one of the worst things to do. We need those healthy fats for energy, mental clarity, and hormone function.”
The biggest surprise?
“Aoife changed my life,” Lisa said. “I’m not just physically stronger, I’m mentally stronger and I know the second half of my life will be just as vibrant as the first.”
Tune in to MenoPositive wherever you get your podcasts.
