As you navigate perimenopause and menopause, your body is undergoing some major changes—both inside and out. Estrogen levels fluctuate wildly, and suddenly, you might notice shifts in everything from your muscle tone to where your body stores fat. But here’s the good news: Exercise can make a big difference. By focusing on the right types of movement, you can protect your bones, build and maintain muscle, and boost your metabolism, all while feeling stronger, healthier, and more energized.
“Aerobic exercise and strength training are important throughout life and especially during menopause, thanks to their cardiovascular benefits,” says Midi’s Chief Medical Officer Kathleen Jordan, MD, a specialist in midlife weight management for women. “From brisk walking to running to cycling, any activity that gets your heart rate up counts. And regularly engaging in exercises with weights or resistance bands helps keep your muscles strong and limber. Building and maintaining muscle supports metabolism and contributes to your overall strength and energy.”
Ready to get moving and prioritize the workouts that matter most for your well-being during this transformative stage of life? Read on to find out why exercising through menopause can be so beneficial and which workouts clinicians at Midi Health—the largest virtual care clinic specializing in perimenopause and menopause—recommend.
Why Estrogen Matters
First things first: Let’s explain what’s going on in your body that may cause a shift in how strong you feel. A lot of it boils down to what’s happening with estrogen. Estrogen plays a crucial role in maintaining bone density and muscle strength. As this hormone declines during menopause, women may experience a range of changes, including bone loss and a reduction in lean muscle mass.
Estrogen helps bone-forming cells called osteoblasts function effectively, keeping bones strong. So when estrogen drops in the years leading up to menopause and after, the risk of osteoporosis increases, with up to 10% of bone mass being lost in the first five years after menopause. Osteoporosis is a significant concern for post-menopausal women, affecting about one in ten worldwide. Bone mass loss typically happens without symptoms, making it important to take proactive steps to protect your bones. You may not even realize you’re at risk until you break a bone.
On top of that, the deck is a bit stacked against you as you get older, in that you may experience anabolic resistance, which makes building muscle harder. Starting around age 30, women lose 3-5% of muscle mass per decade, and the rate accelerates to 1-2% loss per year after age 50. This is where exercise comes in—it can help slow the rate of muscle loss and help you build stronger muscles and bones in the process, at any age.
The Exercise Prescription: What to Focus On
While aerobic and strength training exercises are essential throughout life, they become especially important during menopause to protect cardiovascular health, bone density, and muscle strength. Here are four types of exercises to prioritize:
Weight-Bearing Exercises
Weight-bearing exercises are critical for building and maintaining bone strength. Activities like walking, stair climbing, gardening, and even jumping rope all place healthy stress on the bones, stimulating osteoblast activity. This simple yet effective approach can help prevent bone loss.
For a guided weight-bearing workout, press play on this FitOn walking workout. This intermediate walking workout is designed to elevate your heart rate without impact on your joints.
Strength Training
Strength training is key for counteracting muscle loss, building lean muscle, and boosting metabolism. When muscles grow stronger, they also exert stress on bones, helping to fortify them. Lifting weights, using resistance bands, or performing body-weight exercises (such as push-ups, squats, and lunges) are all great ways to build strength. Plus, lean muscle burns more calories at rest, which is beneficial for weight management.
Join Debbie Siebers in this FitOn Bone Health Strong workout, which includes a yoga flow warm-up, followed by weighted exercises for the upper and lower body.
Balance Exercises
Maintaining balance is crucial for preventing falls and reducing the risk of fractures. As we age, balance tends to decline, so incorporating exercises like tai chi, yoga, or simple stability exercises can enhance coordination and stability. These exercises are particularly important for maintaining mobility and reducing injury risk.
Browse the tai chi and yoga categories in the FitOn app for access to unlimited free workouts that will help you build strength and support stability.
Posture Exercises
Many of us experience poor posture due to prolonged sitting or slouching over devices, which, over time, can place unnecessary stress on bones and joints, increasing the risk of discomfort and injury. Posture-focused exercises, like stretching and spinal alignment techniques, can help prevent muscle tension and encourage proper body mechanics.
Try this quick neck stretch class with FitOn trainer Kenta Seki, or browse the stretch category for more guided workouts to help ease muscle tension and support proper alignment.
The Benefits of Exercise During Menopause
Engaging in regular exercise (aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week and at least two strength-training sessions) offers numerous benefits for menopausal women, including:
- Reduced menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes, night sweats, and insomnia.
- More muscle strength and overall physical function
- Improved mood and feelings of well-being
The Takeaway: Don’t Wait to Start
The menopausal transition can bring several challenges, but prioritizing bone and muscle health through targeted exercises can help reduce the impact. Don’t wait to start building an exercise routine that supports your long-term health. Consistency is key, so choose activities that you enjoy and can sustain over time. Your future self will thank you.
Ready to start building an exercise routine you love? Sign up for FitOn and gain access to thousands of free workouts, including workouts to help protect your bones, build muscle strength, and support mobility.
Looking for support for your perimenopause or menopause symptoms? Book a virtual visit with a Midi Health clinician who specializes in women’s midlife health.
