Strength training can be a game-changer for women in perimenopause, especially when compared to cardio. While cardio has its benefits, like improving cardiovascular health and burning calories during the workout, strength training offers long-term, metabolic magic, making it far superior for this stage of life.
During this phase of life, hormonal shifts—especially declining estrogen—lead to muscle loss, fat gain (particularly around the midsection), and a slower metabolism. Cardio might burn calories during the workout, but strength training builds lean muscle that continues to burn calories even when you're resting. This is the metabolic equivalent of making money while you sleep! More muscle means a higher resting metabolic rate, which can help combat the weight gain many women experience during perimenopause.
How strength training can improve your life outside the gym
It’s not just about metabolism—it’s about making your body stronger for real life.
Squats, for example, mirror the movement of getting up from a chair, getting in and out of your car, or lifting something off the floor. As your muscles strengthen, these everyday tasks become easier and less taxing on your joints.
Deadlifts and rows simulate bending over to pick up heavy objects or pulling things towards you, movements that we often take for granted but rely on every day. Strengthening these movement patterns helps prevent injury and improves overall quality of life.
Farmer's Walk: Carrying weights in each hand as you walk enhances grip strength and simulates carrying groceries.
Weight-bearing exercises, like lunges and squats, reinforce bone strength, which is crucial because bone loss accelerates during perimenopause. Stronger muscles also mean better balance and coordination, which reduces the risk of falls as you age.
Metabolic benefits of Strength Training
Increased Resting Metabolic Rate: The more lean muscle mass you have, the more calories your body burns at rest. Strength training builds muscle, and because muscle tissue is metabolically active, it requires more energy (calories) to maintain, even when you’re not working out.
Reduces Age-Related Muscle Loss: With age, we naturally lose muscle mass (a process called sarcopenia). This muscle loss slows down metabolism, making it easier to gain fat and harder to lose weight. Strength training helps counteract this by preserving and even building new muscle, keeping your metabolism from slowing down.
Improves Insulin Sensitivity: When your muscles contract during lifting, they use glucose as fuel, helping to lower blood sugar levels. Over time, this process increases insulin sensitivity, which is critical for preventing or managing insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Better insulin sensitivity also makes it easier for your body to use carbohydrates efficiently rather than store them as fat.
Promotes Fat Loss, Not Muscle Loss: Unlike cardio, which can lead to both fat and muscle loss, strength training focuses on preserving and building muscle while burning fat.
Enhances Hormonal Balance: Strength training influences hormones like growth hormone and testosterone, which are essential for muscle building and fat metabolism. While women naturally have lower levels of these hormones, strength training stimulates their production, supporting a leaner body composition and a more robust metabolism.
The Metabolic Renewal program aligns with these principles by offering a holistic approach to health that includes personalized nutrition, exercise, stress management, and lifestyle support. If you’re ready to take control of your health and experience the benefits of a comprehensive wellness program, consider signing up for a discovery call to learn more about how Metabolic Renewal can support your journey.
By implementing these lifestyle changes and exploring the Metabolic Renewal program, you’ll be well on your way to enhancing your brain health and thriving during perimenopause.
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