Too Much of a Good Thing
Jersey City
November 15, 2024
Hi there!
I’ve been doing yoga for years. I love it. It makes me feel good. It quiets my brain and stretches my body. It’s good for me, except when it’s not. Over the years I’ve had my share of yoga injuries. When they happen, I’m derailed for a while. This doesn’t happen often. It’s not fun and it usually could have been avoided. It happens because I’m not listening to my body. I push myself more than I should.
Can you relate? Maybe you love spinning or running and you push yourself past your end point. Sometimes you don’t get injured, just fatigued. That’s not good either. Listen to your body.
If you’re in menopause and are gaining unexplained weight, you may think you need to work out more and eat less. This is a bad idea and unhealthy and potentially dangerous. Whenever you increase the intensity of your workouts you also need to increase what you eat and how much you eat. It may sound counterintuitive, but your body needs fuel to work out efficiently. If you increase your workouts without increasing nutrients you may develop a condition known as REDs – relative energy deficiency in sports.
REDs is a condition that causes poor health and declining athletic performance. It happens when athletes (professionals or weekend warriors) do not get enough nutrients to support the energy they need to work out and go about their daily activities. This is a serious condition because it can cause injury and damage to your body.
REDs can affect women in menopause in various ways.
It can cause stress fractures and early onset osteoporosis.
It can slow metabolism and cause weight gain because the body converts food into energy more slowly.
It can cause a low heart rate and the potential for long-term heart damage
It can lower your immune system leaving you vulnerable to infections and colds.
Working out has so many great benefits, just don’t overdo it. If you are working out intensely be sure to keep your body hydrated and fueled with nutrients to support your level of exercise.
Call me if you have questions about optimizing your workout nutritionally (201) 927-0648. I can also recommend a trainer who works with women in menopause.
Be well,
Laura
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And more...
· Here’s a follow up on Row 7 veggies at Whole Foods. I checked them out and I don’t think they are worth it. Basically, they’ve put a couple of veggies together. They are not a mixed bag, just 2 or 3 of the same vegetable. What’s the big deal? I think it is just as easy to buy exactly what you need and avoid the extra packaging. This gets a thumbs down from me. More about marketing than nutrition.
· If you’re looking for a way to de-stress, check out this free workshop. Kelly McCarthy is teaching a free class on somatics for fight / flight / freeze on Nov 13 from 6-7 pm ET. Go to her website to learn more about her.
· When you’re feeling anxious, lean into joy. What makes you happy? “Soak yourself in all that soothes you.”