Menopause Beginners Exercise Program

Everybody has a different starting point and all the exercises in the programme can be modified to suit. Simply reduce or increase the exercise intervals as required and lessen the range of movement to what you can cope with.  If you are already exercising regularly and feeling great then please do challenge yourself with shorter rest intervals, more energetic movement and by adding weights to the movements.

Before you start, have a look at your posture in the mirror. Roll your shoulders back and down, tighten your abdominal muscles (as though bracing for someone to punch you in the stomach!), squeeze your bottom (glutes) and make sure your weight is evenly balanced on both feet with feet hip width apart. Stand up tall and breathe in and out deeply filling your whole abdomen.

This is your ready position, try to keep good posture throughout the exercises and move your body in a controlled way. Take your time if you are new to these types of movements and pick and choose from the exercises until you feel able to complete the whole programme.

So, let’s get started...

A short warm-up is one of the most important parts of an exercise program, so don’t skip it! It’s great for increasing your blood flow and prepping your body for exercise. Your muscles will respond better if they're loose and warm.  Plus, stretching your muscles is also particularly important to help prevent injury.

What to do: Complete this full section from start to finish

Cardio exercises are great for increasing the strength of your heart and lungs. They are also great for burning calories, so these sets of exercises are ideal for those looking to manage menopause weight gain.

What to do: Do both of these exercises for 30 seconds, with 30 seconds rest time in between. Start to build up the length of time you do each exercise, and decrease your rest time as your fitness level increases.

Resistance / conditioning exercises are great for increasing muscle strength by making your muscles work against a weight, such as your own body weight. Resistance training is particularly important during menopause because it can help protect against osteoporosis.

For this part of the program you will also need a beginner’s resistance band to perform some of the exercises.

What to do: Choose a minimum of 3 of these exercises. Take between 30 seconds to 1 minute rest time between each exercise. This rest time can decrease as your fitness level increases.

A good abdominal workout can help strengthen your core and stabilise your body. Having a stronger core can not only enhance your balance and stability, which can help to prevent falls and injuries, it can also improve other problem areas such as lower back pain and your posture.

What to do: Perform all of these exercises, with 30 seconds rest time in between each.

A cool down routine which includes stretching is a great way to help your heart and breathing gradually return to normal. Stretching the muscles you have used during your workout will also help reduce muscle soreness, aid recover and assist your body in its repair process. So just like the warm-up, it’s important not to skip this section!

What to do: Complete this full section from start to finish

Hi, my name is Julie and I work as a personal trainer and fitness class instructor.  I am delighted to have worked out a programme of exercises for A.Vogel's 7 days to a better menopause. Before you get started on the exercises, I want to give you a little extra information about myself.

I know the thought of exercise can be daunting and often the last thing we feel like doing especially when our bodies feel tired and sore and we are suffering from all kinds of physical and emotional ailments.  There was a time in my life when I couldn't even have managed to get up, never mind get through an exercise warm up!

I had ME for ten years in my twenties and during that period I had a range of physical and emotional difficulties. Then, during pregnancy I had symphysis pubis dysfunction which led to crutches, a lot of pain and massive weight gain! At my heaviest, I was 16 stone and wearing a dress size 20. The problems with my pelvis and a difficult birth then led to bladder issues and months of physiotherapy and hospital appointments.

When I first started to exercise, I couldn't jump or squat or do any dynamic movement and I massively struggled with any form of core or abdominal exercise. I couldn't even feel where my core was let alone use it.  It was hard, painful and exhausting, however by persevering with exercise, change slowly occurred and my fitness began to improve. I spent years doing exercise videos at home as I had no confidence to attend a gym or classes. Eventually I discovered Zumba and finally got to a class where I discovered other women who felt as nervous and insecure as I was. 

Next, was a Muay Thai class and after a couple of years one of my instructors introduced me to weight training.  I booked in for personal training sessions and after about a year, I felt fitter and stronger than I had in my twenties. 

That's when I decided to retrain and become a personal trainer. I want to use my experience to help and encourage others who feel that their body is not their own anymore and who desperately want to feel fitter and stronger again. I want you to know that my journey has been difficult but I wouldn't change a thing! I know your story will be different and many of you will face challenges that I couldn't even begin to imagine. I also know however that by taking little steps and one day at a time you can make a positive difference.

That's enough from me! Time to get moving!

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