In my 20’s and 30’s I was fairly active (softball, skiing, golf etc) and found it easy to lose a few pounds with diet and exercise. It is absolutely amazing how you can hang something in your closet for awhile and it shrinks two sizes!!! I enjoyed running and even competed in a few 10k races. I still to this day walk more than anyone I know, (minimum of 45 min per day) as I do not own a car. I am fortunate to live and work in the most beautiful city in the world; Vancouver. This city is a mecca for walking, biking and blading.
Then, in my very early 40’s something life altering and devastating happened …………… Menopause!! The “Pauz” as I now call it has wreaked havoc on all areas of my life especially my weight and desire to do anything remotely physical. It didn’t matter what diet I tried or what food I ate, I couldn’t lose 10 pounds for the life of me. As a matter of fact, the weight was slowly creeping on.
In December 2009 I planned a weeklong vacation in Palm Springs with a few girlfriends and I was determined to get these extra pounds off me. I was smart enough to realize that I was not going to do this on my own so I called my friend Suzanne from Urban Evolution Personal Training and hired her as my personal trainer. She has trained a few of my friends with great success. I had NO IDEA what I was in for!!!
In January 2010 I started working out with Suzanne 2x per week and went for a Body Comp Scan to determine my weight, percentage of fat and muscle. Then I began this wonderful journey. It was tough going, I woke up some mornings so sore I could barely move, BUT it was the best feeling in the world as I knew I was improving my overall health.
Suzanne (aka Princess of Pain, Devil in Prada….) pushed me beyond any point that I ever would have been able to do on my own. I am still so menopausal that my night sweats have become uncontrollable gym sweats. While doing my hour session; the sweat begins pouring off me only seconds into it, but I smile as I know that the people working out around me are saying “WOW….that girl is WORKIN IT”.
I constantly have to remind myself….. the Pauz will end…. It Will End… IT WILL END!!! And no matter what; I NEVER think about how it can last up to ten years or more, NEVER!!!
At the tender age of 47, I am stronger and healthier than I have ever been and I have recently discovered a new love……….. Quinoa!! For me personally, it has never been about the number on the scale but how I feel in my body; I don’t even own a scale. My clothes feel fantastic and I recently got back into my old favourite pair of jeans. It is now July and I am still seeing Suzanne 2x per week, as well as doing 2-3 days of other forms of exercise. It is never too late to start exercising……….ever!!!
I have recently started Tabata training. A Tabata workout is an interval training cycle of 20 seconds of maximum (you must go full out) intensity exercise, followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated without pause 8 times for a total of four minutes. Trust me, this is a killer exercise and a great compliment to any fitness regime.
Menopause be damned!!!!
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