Menopause exercise and nutrition

lacachao

64 year old weighing 135 lbs. I do strength workouts and strength pilates and also bike 10 miles every day. My visceral fat is 6 and my cholesterol is 142. I know about proteins and what supplements are necessary. Anyone else interested in menopause exercise and nutrition?

shilohann5

yes definitely interested! It sounds like you are doing great!! Inspiring

AnnPT77

I suppose I'm interested in it . . . but I honestly don't think menopause exercise and nutrition is dramatically different from non-menopause exercise and nutrition.

Am I a blithe twenty-somehing saying that? No, I'm a 69-year-old woman who's 132 pounds, active several times a week as an on-water rower, been in menopause since my mid-40s (induced early by chemotherapy), who first became routinely active after menopause after a largely sedentary previous adult life, and who lost around 50 pounds at 59-60 while not only menopausal but severely hypothyroid (medicated).

There sure are a lot of skeezy marketers lately using menopause as a ploy to sell their very special programs we can't succeed without (if they are to be believed . . . but I think they're lying for profit).

Gradually work up total exercise load in a way that's appropriate for current fitness, cardio and progressive strength; eat the appropriate number of calories priortizing nutrient-dense foods that the person likes, and adequate protein; get as much good sleep as feasible. That's most of the formula, IMO.

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lacachao

hello

It’s different in that resistance and strength are best. Also to be taking D3 with K2. The K2 is necessary to get calcium to bones and not heart etc. it is slo good to use weighted vest when you walk or workout. If you are not paying attention to protein is a problem. We lose muscle every decade after 30. So we work out to maintain the muscle we have and to develop new muscle. But you need to be eating enough protein so that when you work out your body does not go to your muscles for protein. I pay attention and only use prestigious labs that make supplements. I have suggestions for what to have during workouts and what to have 30 minutes after workouts. I am happy to share more. Just ask.

cmriverside

...so, you're here to tell us about your supplements?

AnnPT77

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/48721214#Comment_48721214

So which of those pieces of advice do you believe would be wrong advice for someone - woman or man - who's not in menopause?

Resistance and strength are always good. Yes, women our age often under-value those, given cultural history. But "best" as opposed to finding the right balance of activities based on personal health history and current fitness status? I'm not totally convinced.

I admit there's at least a weak argument for K2 as special in later years for women . . . but really any supplement is only necessary if that nutrient is suboptimally low in one's diet. Nutrients from food are preferable, where that's possible.

If you have valuable information about supplememts, why not share that right out here in public, where more people can benefit from the insight?

lacachao

I add to my water bottle Bodyhealth perfect amino, amino acids, creatine and Renue by Science pure NMN. I drink while I bike and work out. About 30 minutes after working out, I have LifeCell muscle- anti- aging muscle builder and pure collagen peptides by Cambridge Naturals.
you can ask chat gbt or deep seek to tell you if this is a good method for health you particular case.

lacachao

creatine should be monohydrate and micronized. We lose more muscle as we age and we need resistance exercises to ward off against bone deterioration. That is why it’s good to wear a weighted vest. As we age we lose certain enzymes that facilitate. That is why k2 becomes necessary for bones and Ubiquinol is better than pure CoQ10 which is good for the heart because it is one step better as we age.

AnnPT77

From a protein standpoint, I think the crucial thing is to get enough total protein spread through the day, prioritizing high-quality sources (balanced EAAs) and bioavailable sources.

Personally, I prefer to get plenty of protein from food, and not to use supplements. I get ample protein daily, and spread it through the day, in part for reasons outlined in the Prot-Age Study Group recommendations for aging people of both sexes. For me, as a long term vegetarian, the details of protein intake look is a little different than they would for an omnivore. My eating style is veggie/fruit heavy, with lots of variety, so I get a lot of fiber and adequate intake of most key micros from food. My first resort if I suspect I need more of some nutrient is to look for food sources I can include in my routine eating habits.

In general, I supplement things when one of my doctors has recommended I do so, my blood test results suggest it would be safe/beneficial, and/or my own dietary analysis suggests I could be short on some nutrient somewhat systematically and it would be challenging to improve sufficiently through food. In that context, I sometimes experiment with mainstream supplements that have low toxicity potential or a relatively high TUL. I get regular blood tests for certain nutrients via my PCP.

I don't use pre-workouts or post-workouts, though I do occasionally time carbs around workouts if it's a while since I've eaten, or use electrolyte drinks on particularly hot outdoor workout days. Mostly, I just drink water during workouts.

I already have osteoporosis, primarily as a side effect of cancer treatment, so I supplement calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin K. (I'd supplement D regardless since I live in the North.) I usually take creatine monohydrate, but am taking a break from it to see if it's contributing to a muscle problem I was having, planning to restart soon. Because some fraction of my protein is plant-sourced, I supplement B-12 and take algae omega-3. I supplement magnesium because I've learned my digestive system seems happier when I do.

Because of my interest in nutrition, I'm an Examine.com subscriber to utilize their research summaries, and have also found NIH's "Factsheets for Health Professionals" a useful mainstream source for supplements where available.

For me, a weighted vest would be a bad plan: I have knee and hip arthritis, plus a torn meniscus in one knee for which I'm deferring surgery as long as manageable. Rowing and cycling are viable exercise types given that situation: Pressure/resistance are fine; impact and torque are not.

I'm not a big fan of generic prescriptives for supplements or exercise, beyond some very fundamental basics that apply nearly universally. An individual's dietary context and health history are very important, and individuals vary. That variability applies across the population, but statistically speaking may be especially relevant in aging populations, since we've had more decades to have experienced illnesses, injuries, etc., that influence what our most productive dietary or activity choices might be.

lacachao

it’s good to get protein from the food we eat. I get at least 40 mgs of protein at breakfast and 30 -40 at lunch but I need about 100 per day. In any case I am really trying to find others who want to share how they stay healthy because it’s important to me.

AnnPT77

Yes, staying healthy is important to me, too. Health and quality of life are pretty tightly linked always, but perhaps especially so at our life stage.

I set a minimum of 100 grams of protein, too. Usually I exceed that by 10-20g. As a vegetarian, it's more central for me to think about EAA balanced and bioavailable sources, too. That usually isn't an issue for omnivores. Admittedly, while it's pretty easy for me to get that much protein from food on maintenance calories, it did run a little lower during weight loss on reduced calories - 80s-90s, which isn't ideal.

My breakfast on non-rowing mornings runs around 43g protein, rowing days more like 33 because I eat more lightly, but get the 40s at lunch. Other lunches and dinners usually run around 30g protein, but most days include some snacks that add a few more protein grams.

While I was losing weight, around 10 years ago now, I worked pretty hard on establishing routine eating habits that would bring me the nutrition - protein and other things - that I think I need. I don't like micromanaging my days, so establishing those autopilot routine habits was helpful for me.

I'm not saying I eat the same thing every day. Breakfast is pretty standard, either the pre-row light breakfast or my regular one, because decision making in the morning isn't my strong suit. 😆 The rest of the day varies quite a lot, but I have sort of meal patterns that repeat, with different items filling the nutritional roles. Logging my food has been a great thing for improving my overall nutrition, although I've always been a reasonably healthy eater. (I just had a history of eating too much!)

leighsmith5555

I feel, in my case, not all ladies, menopause absolutely destroyed my health. I gained 40lbs over 4 years and tried every diet, workout routine and supplement out there. The hot flashes, sleep deprivation, cravings, brain fog and more was BRUTAL. I met a naturopath who changed my life who told me my menopause was completely abnormal and any estrogen I had was being stored in my fat and my body would not let it go. I am on HRT and hired a trainer. I even went on ozempic for 4 months to kick start my body (this was after 6 months of eating well and exercise). I will never take ozempic again…its terrible. 1 year later, I have only lost 8 lbs but over 14 inches overall. I eat a ton of protein every day - 149 grams and stick to 1600/1700 calories a day. I walk every day, do yoga 3 times a week and lift 3x a week. I have never worked so hard to lose weight in my life! I have always been athletic and this is total new territory for me. I am a bit burned out from the gym right now but I love heavy lifting! so taking a break doing japanese walking and yoga for now. I am planning on going back to the gym in Sept. Sometimes you need to go beyond diet and exercise to reach your goals, which was the case for me. My naturopath and my trainer changed my life.

SuzanneC1l9zz

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/48721261#Comment_48721261

Please, do not rely on supplement (or other health) advice from chatgpt or other ai's!!! This is far from the only time it's given dangerous advice, just the one I saw recently enough to remember what to search to find the actual information (rather than my browser just taking me to chatgpt).

[insert anti-ai rant here, typed, then thought better of and then deleted so as not to completely derail things]

Man, 60, poisoned himself after taking medical advice from ChatGPT https://share.google/1sqiN9QnGsUc2Mg5y

SuzanneC1l9zz

I realized after posting that the link isn't clickable and the edit function seems to be broken on mobile. Hopefully this works....

Man, 60, poisoned himself after taking medical advice from ChatGPT

cmriverside

I feel like all the supplement words from lacachao are direct cut and paste from chatgpt and they should definitely be cautiously read then researched and/or ignored...

But on the other hand, that sodium bromide poisoning link is from the Daily Mail. I meeeeeeaaaan….

It's pretty easy to use some common sense when people start posting about certain topics. Like this one. Chatgpt has a ways to go, ya know?

SuzanneC1l9zz

I have no idea of the quality of the Daily Mail as a source, it was the first link in the list. I don't generally read newspapers or whatever, and am not really familiar with any outside of the 2 local to my city. None of which changes a single thing about my actual point; it was just one example. Like I said, the one I saw recently enough to remember what to actually search.

AnnPT77

I suspect that inquiries to AI sources about brand-named products will over-harvest information from the product marketing.

Because I do care about my health and longevity as an aging woman, I did some reading about the named products, and their underlying ingredients, trusting in the information sources I usually use and mentioned above. I'm not going to belabor the results here, but will say that so far I haven't changed my own routine because of that investigation.

In addition, purely out of curiosity, I used ChatGPT to ask about some of the named products, and the first section definitely looks marketing sourced in each case. If I kept reading/scrolling, on most of them I got to some more balanced pro/con information, and on one of them, eventually the quote below (similar stuff but not these exact words on others). Maybe I flatter myself, but I feel like that section kind of echoes what I wrote in some of my comments on this thread:

Recommendations

Assess Diet First
Ensure adequate protein intake (whole foods) before supplementing.

Consult a Healthcare Professional
Particularly important for people with kidney, metabolic, or endocrine concerns.

Try It Strategically
If decided to use, start with a minimal regimen—perhaps just once or twice daily—and monitor changes.

Watch for Side Effects
Some users report headaches or unexpected hormonal changes—if they occur, reevaluate use.

As a generality, the cons tended to talk about lack of scientific/research basis for the claims, the low regulation of the supplement industry in the US, and the high cost of the specific products. Most of the named brands are $45 and up for varying numbers of servings, usually not huge numbers of servings.

I do use supplements, but about the only one that comes remotely close to being that expensive (working from memory here) are the algae omega-3 supplements I consider to be important for me as a vegetarian, since other plant sources are mostly ALA. What we really need is EPA and DHA. Our bodies can convert ALA to those, but the conversion rate is generally poor. Most of the other supplements I use are reasonably affordable. For all of them, I do buy on sale and stock up, when possible.

I understand and appreciate that I'm lucky: I'm not remotely wealthy, but I can afford my particular supplement regimen without financial pain. I know that any supplementation can be challenging to afford for some seniors on limited incomes - a thing that seems particularly common amongst women in this demographic, unfortunately.

A lot of people my age care about their health. Still, I'd be hesitant to suggest a supplement as necessary that runs into literal $100+ per bottle, or to imply that those who choose differently aren't valuing their health. Partly that's because I'm skeptical that most of those higher-priced things are in fact essential, partly because I think focusing on dietary improvement within budget will have a higher payoff for the average senior, and partly because . . . well, it would feel a little classist to me if I were the one doing that, honestly. YMMV. I see that OP generally didn't say these particular things were essential, just that she personally found them helpful or useful for her, which is fine.

springlering62

63, 149 pounds, 6 pounds visceral fat, with a likewise extensive workout program. I’m highly entertained that these are some kind of “qualifiers” for recommending supplements to others.

I also shoot for at least 150 gr of protein a day, with my doctor’s blessings. (We monitor kidney function carefully, due to family history.)

I take only three supplements my doctor has particularly prescribed, otherwise, I try to avoid supplements, because my fuzzy headed philosophy is, there’s not a whole little difference between a chemically created tablet versus a highly processed food full of chemicals.

I was blown away at a social event last week when a table of women got into a pissing match about who took the most supplements. The two “winners” took 26 each. Per day.

I was staggered. “How do their stomachs even have room for food?”

I think people are as much swept up by magic supplements as they are by fad diets.

K.I.S.S., baby. 🤷🏻‍♀️