Photo source: http://www.dangerouslyfit.com.au/exercise/exercise-during-menopause/ |
But, there is also another factor that I should mention here which I have found particularly challenging this year: my age. I am 50 years old and my body is experiencing all the changes typical of the perimenopausal transition. One of these changes is to gain extra pounds, particularly in the abdominal area.
Of course, not all women going through perimenopause gain weight; but many do, why?
Recently, a study published by the North American Menopause Society suggests it’s more important than ever for perimenopause women (ages: 45 to 55 years old) to commit to keeping the pounds off. The new study, done at Yonsei University in Seoul and Hallym University in Chuncheon (Korea) examined 4 years of data from the Korean Genetic Epidemiologic Survey. It looked at 1,200 healthy women not on hormones who were at risk to put on fat around the waist and develop high blood pressure and higher cholesterol. This is also known as metabolic syndrome, a dangerous combination of conditions that can lead to diabetes and heart disease.
The key result from this study that I want to point out here is that women going through perimenopause didn’t have a higher chance of getting the entire syndrome, but if they started out overweight, sedentary, undereducated or disadvantaged, they were at higher risk.
So, the take-home message is that if you are in your 40s or early 50s and you tend to live a sedentary life or are a little bit overweight, you need to start moving!
I don't think that I live a sedentary life, but I do recognize that I can be more active. Perhaps, this may be something that I should put in my list of New Year's resolution - a real act of self-improvement, in my case!
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