12 Ways to Fitness in Menopause via scientific studies published in 2020. Interpreted for you

1. The Smarter Science of
Menopause & Optimal
Exercise
2020 PUBLISHED STUDIES & HOW TO USE THEM

2. • Grab a pen!
• Add your questions to
the questions box any
time.
• Q and A in the book
along with notes space
• The ”12 Ways of
Fitness” in Menopause
2020 version begins
2

3. PRESENTED BY
Debra Atkinson, MS, CSCS
36-Year Fitness Industry Pro
Prior Senior Lecturer in Kinesiology, ISU
COE & Founder Flipping 50
International Presenter: IDEA, CAN-FIT-
PRO, ICAA, Athletic Business, Club
Industry & SCW, NSCA, MedFit
Medfit Education Advisory Board
Best selling Author (6 titles)
TEDx Speaker: Everything Women in
Menopause Learned About Exercise
May Be a Lie
MEDFIT author Stages of Menopause
and Exercise Intervention
3

4. COVID19
Restrictions and lockdowns + menopause
4
1

5. • Restrictions on parks,
play, live classes, gyms
• Choices to stay safe,
protect loved-ones
• Increased stress
• Accelerated muscle loss
in late perimenopause
+ early post
menopause
• Medications
5Archives of Physiology & Biochemistry, 2020

6. In Motion
• Monitor your body composition – not your
weight alone (No, not BMI)
• Strength train to muscle fatigue 2x a week
• Interval train 2-3 times a week (not ideally back
to back)
• Eat 30+ gms of protein at 3 meals (check for
Essential Amino Acid profile)
• Target your ideal weight in pounds in grams of
protein daily
• Eat a diet rich in a variety of whole foods
(especially vegetables)
• Move every day (29 walks in December)
• Consider a supplement with Betaine HCL and
digestive enzymes
6https://www.flippingfifty.com/2020giftguide

7. 7
EXERCISE, IMMUNITY,
MENOPAUSE
2

8. • to improve immunity
exercise has to be of
sufficient intensity
• It also has to allow
adequate recovery
• Both Too high intensity
too frequently and too
little movement or too
infrequently fail
• Intensity: volume,
duration, speed,
exceedingly heavy
8Anti-infective Therapy, 2020

9. IN MOTION
Perform recommended 2x a
week strength to fatigue 72
hours between
Emphasize major muscle groups
over small muscle isolation
Perform full body workouts, not
body part specific
45 min max of HIIT per week
and low-to-moderate most days
Use protocols inclusive of rest
for muscle groups specific to
women midlife
9
Moderate Amounts of High
And low intensity.
Vs.
“Moderate”

10. MUSCLE
Muscle and Menopause
10
3

11. • Loss of muscle creates
devasting disability in
older women
• Losses begin at 30
• Unnoticeable for many
women until menopause
• Muscle Protein Synthesis
declines require
optimized strength
training + protein timing
to overcome
11Gerontology Research Center and Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences

12. IN MOTION
• Resistance train
• Add high quality protein
timing to optimize post
workout (sometimes in
addition pre-workout) and
regularly at meals
particularly during 24-hour
period following intense
strength training
• Avoid excess endurance
exercise (which increases
muscle breakdown)
12

13. START… OR PROGRESS SMART
13

14. BIO-INDIVIDUAL
VEGGIE & FRUIT
Menopause Symptoms Made Worse by Some Produce
14
4

15. • Oxalates
• or other interaction –
not necessarily
identified in the
research: simply a
definite connection
15
Menopause, 2020

16. In Motion
• Increase your vegetable intake (and to a limited
extent, fruit)
• Symptomic? Substitute non-starchy vegetables for
leafy greens and apples for citrus fruits
• Asymptomic? Keep a well-rounded, balanced intake
of vegetables from 3 groups (green leafy, deeply
colored, onion/mushroom)
• Still struggling? Ask for a food sensitivity test or
order one yourself (yourlabwork.com/flipping-50)
• If you do an elimination diet? Do not skip the
reintroduction phase. (you risk cutting out precious
and needed diverse sources of micronutrients and
limit your intake of foods unnecessarily, ultimately
sabotaging gut health)
Your Date Here Your Footer Here 16

17. SARCOPENIA & HRT
When you’ve changed it all and nothing works
17
5

18. • Breast cancer risk
• Unique to you
• Risk: reward
• Dr Lindsey Berkson
(episode)
• Search
18Clin Cases Miner Bone Metab

19. IN MOTION
• Lift weights to the point of muscular
fatigue 2x a week with 72 hours
between
• Eat high quality protein to recover
adequately daily 30+ gms 3 meals
per day (at minimum 2) and
additionally around resistance
exercise if possible.
• Assess sleep quality and quantity,
prioritize it if necessary.
• If you’re still experiencing frailty,
weakness, not progressing, hormone
replacement may support your
needs, particularly if you are 60 or
younger and have reached
menopause within the last 10 years.
19

20. HIIT
And Fat (plus muscle)
20
6

21. • Spinning intervals more
effective than running
• Lasting more than 8 weeks
more effective than just 8
• Combined with resistance
training to fatigue (not
concurrently in sessions)
best result
• Avoid combining rapid
movements with resistance
training, or instructions
that ignore quality form
and changes in muscular
development (AMRAM,
EMOM)
21Experiential Physiology Medicine, Science, Sports & Exercise

22. IN MOTION
• Say yes to HIIT
• Consider risk: reward
ratio of HIIT activities
(higher impact, higher
risk; repeated activity
higher risk)
• Say yes to separate
resistance training to
muscular fatigue
22

23. LOW INTENSITY
Post Menopause add this back in
23
7

24. “postmenopausal women
may have more control
over their body
composition than their
premenopausal
counterparts since their
body composition is more
impacted by light
physical activity, such as
casual walking or yard
work, and by sedentary
behavior.”
24Experiential Physiology Medicine, Science, Sports & Exercise

25. IN MOTION
Perimenopause:
• Focus on maintaining activity (for
muscle, bone, and improving meno
symptoms)
• Prioritize: strength, intervals
• Optional according to fatigue and
time: long slow, low to moderate
exercise
Menopause:
• Continue perimenopause activities
well tolerated
• Add: As signs and symptoms
dissipate increase low-to-moderate
exercise daily
25

26. TIME FLIES
Higher Intensity Makes Exercise Time Fly
26
8

27. • A December 2020
study (JSC) proved
what you may know
already. Science found
that the higher
intensity your exercise
the shorter duration
you think you were
exercising.
Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology 27
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

28. In Motion
• Substitute 1 interval training
for other cardio exercise a
week to start (10 min)
• Progress to 2 interval training
for other cardio exercise a
week (10 min each)
• Progress to 15 minutes each
• Progress to 20 minutes each
OR 3x 15
• Start with less work: more
recovery, next equal, then
more work: less recovery with
carefully selected moves.
28

29. HIIT
Post Menopause training effects
29
9

30. Love it, look forward to it
even at 80% of MHR
but…. Your capillaries
don’t respond in the way
men or younger women’s
do
30Journal of Physiology

31. IN MOTION
• Safer HIIT for women in
Menopause is not lower
intensity
• Lower impact and easy to
accelerate or increase
resistance (biking, rowing,
elliptical, boxing, water
exercise)
• Get younger women involved
sooner – more capillaries
entering menopause, more
fitness throughout
menopause
31

32. WALKING
Preferred… but enough?
32
10
BMC Women's Health

33. APPEALING ABOUT WALKING…
• Sensitivity to the health
realities of women in
menopause
• Inclusivity of various
expectations and levels
of fitness
• Attentiveness to the need
for social support
• Flexibility in planning
locations and scheduling
33

34. In Motion
• “Never walk alone.”
• Meaning you must add
weight training,
movement in all 3
planes, and make sure
you have intensity
34

35. PA & FITNESS
The more specific PA and results-producing the fewer
symptoms
35
11

36. • As Physical activity goes up
menopause symptoms go
down
• As VO2 max goes up
urogenital symptoms go down
• As WHR improves symptoms
go down (.85 or less for
women; waist less than 35)
• As sitting time decreases
somatic and psychological
symptoms improve
36Menopause

37. <35 AND <.85 (W-TO-H)
In Motion
1. Increase overall
exercise time +
movement time
2. Add intense exercise:
moderate to vigorous
reaching
breathlessness
3. High intensity interval
training
37

38. MENTAL WELL-BEING
Depression, anxiety, mood swings and movement
38
12

39. • From Pre- menopause to
peri and post menopause
there is an increase of
prevalence of feelings of
depression.
• Association with
depressive symptoms
varies by amount of
physical activity in
women in menopause.
39Menopause

40. IN MOTION
• Exercise
• Move more within a
reasonable realistic
level commensurate
with signs & symptoms.
40

41. WITH YOUR NOTES…. CHECKLIST
41
Strength frequently enough and not too… to fatigue?
Strength isolated from HIIT?
Recovery?
Known priorities (muscle, bone, mood, immunity)-based exercise
selection?
Injury-risk-controlled?
HIIT up to 45 mins a week? Varying the type and movement?
Strength training exercises that are functional, impact metabolism vs.
creative

42. WANT SUPPORT
Just tell me what to do and I’ll do it?
42

43. LIMITED TIME EARLY BIRD ON NOW
43
Flippingfifty.com/getstronger

44. • Twice weekly workouts
• Quick Start Success Guide
• Compliments your
current walking, HIIT, or
mobility exercise
• Optionally add protein
• Add a Flipping 50 Journal
to track the most
important things (90
days)
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45. Q AND A
Your turn! Add Questions to the Question box in your panel
Clear/consise and in one ask.. That everyone can benefit from.
I can’t do any ”private coaching” on a public group call.
45

46. THANK YOU!
46
Happy Holidays
Safe, healthy New Year!
Your today and this week
Have tremendous impact on
Your tomorrows.
This has never been truer.
debra@flippingfifty.com
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