Muscle atrophy menopause

[ealakey]

Originally Posted by prettyinpink

I remember an article by Burr Leonard of the Bar Method talking about this, and just found it again. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/aging...fully_b_911131
Her answer was upping barre classes to at least five days a week.

My answer was getting away from using videos for strength training. I wasn’t getting stronger like I thought I should, and adding in more workouts wore me out. I realized that many strength videos aren’t compatible with progressive overload. It’s difficult to progress by adding weight, reps, or sets, with a video. Pausing constantly just got annoying, and didn’t really work for workouts that were more endurance based by design. I still like videos, but switching to mostly paper workouts for strength with proper rest intervals made a big difference for me.

prettyinpink, just curious, which paper workouts are you doing?

[Leonana]

I didn’t start working out until after menopause. So, I didn’t have much muscle to start with. I gained muscle once I started working out in my 50’s.

I had my daughter at 41, and gained about 14 pounds. I went into peri menopause a couple of years later. I didn’t start exercising until I was 52, and didn’t lose weight until 53. I used MFP and lost about 10 pounds. But I gained it back eventually and had been struggling to lose it again. I can do it if I track my calories, but it gets tedious.

But I was ill with chronic mouth pain six months ago and lost 30 pounds. Not being able to chew will really drop the weight, but I don’t recommend it! However, I felt I didn’t look well at that weight as I’m bigger boned and tall. I completely lost my rear end! I’ve since gained half of it back and I’m happy where I’m at, which is pre-dd weight.

I also stopped working out those six months and I noticed a loss of muscle in my rear end the most. I tend to be flat there, so no lower body workouts had a big effect in that area.

I’m finding it easier to maintain this 15 pound weight loss because I work a part time job 20 hours a week, and I’m on my feet and walking for most of it. My lower body is in the best shape it’s ever been and my endurance has increased. I also get to eat more food without gaining. If I ever quit this job, I’d need to do gentle walking workouts at least two hours a day to maintain this.

[cataddict]

Hmmm I don't know what to think about this. We are all so different! I read somewhere fairly recently that our metabolism doesn't really change much as we age and go through menopause. What makes a difference is how well we are able to process protein as this becomes less efficient as we age (like many other things I suppose). Since protein is required for muscle mass, I decided to change my eating to add more protein i.e. Greek yogurt for breakfast and I have noticed that I have seen a definite improvement in my musculature. I think it must have been declining for a number of years and caused or was accompanied by weight gain during and post menopause. After about 6 months of my "experiment" I'm mostly back to pre menopausal muscle mass as far as I can tell (and probably have increased it somewhat) and I'm 10 years beyond menopause. Now I consider my experience anecdotal as I didn't look deeply at the details of the research that was described in the article---meaning the what, who, where, when and how long any studies were conducted. I figured, "how can it hurt to try something different?" and it worked for me. I also lift more frequently than I used to do as well so I'm sure that's a factor. It hasn't been easy!

[momofcha]

I feel all your pain. I’m on BHRT and use testosterone cream - still no muscle growth but I do have weight gain. I also am hypothyroid. I finally found an online “thyroid fixxer” aka Dr Amie Hornaman. So much of what she says makes sense. Many hypothyroid people are also insulin resistant which is why we can’t lose weight. I will say I recently started doing Hamelin again and I lost 3 pounds in the past month. I look forward to his workouts and I don’t feel stressed and my inflammation has decreased. I’m going to keep at it and see if it continues to help but I am definitely losing inches as well.

Good luck to us all, it’s a definite process

[frostyjan]

Originally Posted by cataddict

Hmmm I don't know what to think about this. We are all so different! I read somewhere fairly recently that our metabolism doesn't really change much as we age and go through menopause. What makes a difference is how well we are able to process protein as this becomes less efficient as we age (like many other things I suppose). Since protein is required for muscle mass, I decided to change my eating to add more protein i.e. Greek yogurt for breakfast and I have noticed that I have seen a definite improvement in my musculature. I think it must have been declining for a number of years and caused or was accompanied by weight gain during and post menopause. After about 6 months of my "experiment" I'm mostly back to pre menopausal muscle mass as far as I can tell (and probably have increased it somewhat) and I'm 10 years beyond menopause. Now I consider my experience anecdotal as I didn't look deeply at the details of the research that was described in the article---meaning the what, who, where, when and how long any studies were conducted. I figured, "how can it hurt to try something different?" and it worked for me. I also lift more frequently than I used to do as well so I'm sure that's a factor. It hasn't been easy!

I totally agree!

I was going to post that recent studies show how important it is to increase protein as we age. I am 10 years out of menopause and as long as I keep my protein intake high, and keep the consumption of processed carbs and sugar low I can manage my weight and keep the amount of muscle I like.

I also try to minimize things that cause inflammation in general (alcohol, poor sleep, stress, etc.). Aging makes the basics all that more important to get right if you want to feel good.

YMMV

[SEV]

Fatkat, thanks for starting this thread! I am almost post menopausal and have definitely lost some muscle tone. I can still see muscle in my arms, but it's now covered with saggy skin. I don't even want to discuss my thighs
I have toned down my workouts considerably the last few years. I finally figured out that long heavy weight workouts were causing me to come down with every little bug going around. And even though I could do all my intense workouts, I was exhausted all the time and looked it.
As someone said up thread, I'm going to choose my workouts by how I feel, not how I look. I do want to be strong, but I'm still figuring out the best way for me. It's been a bitter pill to swallow, but I'm coming to terms with more gentle workouts.

Thank you all for sharing your experiences!

P.S. I'm really trying to stop comparing myself to Cathe who is one year older than me

Susan

[fatkat555]

Originally Posted by frostyjan

I totally agree!

I was going to post that recent studies show how important it is to increase protein as we age. I am 10 years out of menopause and as long as I keep my protein intake high, and keep the consumption of processed carbs and sugar low I can manage my weight and keep the amount of muscle I like.

I also try to minimize things that cause inflammation in general (alcohol, poor sleep, stress, etc.). Aging makes the basics all that more important to get right if you want to feel good.


YMMV

I think you’re right! It’s the basic stuff that seems to have a huge impact. Sleep for me is huge.

[fatkat555]

Originally Posted by SEV

Fatkat, thanks for starting this thread!

P.S. I'm really trying to stop comparing myself to Cathe who is one year older than me

Susan

Of course! I’m just amazed at how quickly this has occurred for me (now that it seems my periods have stopped).

And I hear ya on Cathe. I don’t do a lot of her workouts, but I have to really not compare myself to KCM. They’re both truly amazing women.

[yogapam]

I’m 15 years into menopause. I probably have lost some muscle tone, but the biggest changes for me are, IMO, simply related to aging. My skin and connective tissue are sagging and getting wrinkled and I am definitely creakier, lol. My fitness goals have changed. I still do strength work with weights but I don’t lift heavy. I’m much more focused on balance, joint mobility, & flexibility, basically trying to avoid, as my VF check in mate calls it, “stiff old lady syndrome”. Weight gain has not been an issue for me. I eat pretty healthy, but don’t deny myself treats and meals out. I have two chefs in my life so food is important. My weight is very stable, rarely do I gain or lose more than a pound or two. I credit intermittent fasting for that.
ETA I don’t take any HRT as there is breast cancer in my immediate family.

[Hazel Porter]

I would recommend doing a search for podcasts and/or articles featuring Dr. Stacy Sims, who is one of the few people who have addressed exercise in perimenopausal and menopausal women. She also has a new book, Next Level, that is geared more toward long-time endurance athletes but is useful to understand how your body changes hormonally in menopause and what you can and should do to maintain muscle.

The short version is (1) lift heavy (which she defines as momentary failure in 6 reps or fewer); (2) focus on adequate protein intake (including making sure to eat a protein-rich meal within a fairly short window after lifting; and (3) control stress (since loss of estrogen in menopause contributes to increased cortisol).