My Journey through Menopause

My journey through menopause is more of an update of my "Mad at Menopause" blog post.  Head on over and read that before diving in here to get the full story of my symptoms, frustrations, and actions to resolve them.

Instead of being mad at menopause, I'm now calling it a journey through menopause. The drastic symptoms have softened thanks to research, talking with my doctors, and making treatment decisions that best fit my body. As women, we will all experience menopause and the havoc placed upon our bodies during this transition.

Menopause is part of life and health and not a subject to be hushed and brushed under the carpet. There is no shame or embarrassment discussing anything that relates to health and fitness. We have lived too long with our heads tucked between our tails and still thinking how dare we use the term "vagina" in public. Come on now, we're all grown women and men for that matter and this is an important issue for women and the men who support them.

Starting menopause, I was plagued with unbelievable hot flashes that tormented my days and nights. Fatigue was at an all time high. I felt irritable, experienced foggy thinking and inability to sleep. Vaginal dryness was insane, numerous urinary tract infections were intolerable and lastly, my libido tanked. I was completely frustrated and menopause absolutely consumed me.

I think menopause was at the forefront of every conversation with hubby back then. I thank God every day for such a supportive man. It didn't matter how physically fit I looked on the outside because my inside was so out of balance. I didn't feel confident sexually or as a woman. This weighed on me heavily and I was desperate to fight menopause with all I had.

This update comes two years into my menopause and happy to report, I feel fabulous. I no longer take OTC herbal blends and decided to give bio-identical hormone therapy a try.

I have been on bio-identical hormones for two years now and the improvement in menopause symptoms is remarkable. In addition, I have continued the low dose estrogen vaginal insert pill and very happy with the plumped up results. I also use natural coconut oil and vitamin E suppositories regularly for internal vaginal moisturizing. My hot flashes went away within 2-weeks of bio-identical therapy. As the months have gone by, I feel like my old self again. Emotionally and physically my body feels like it has been brought back into hormonal balance. I am now functioning at what I would call a normal level.

My confidence is renewed, my thinking is clear, and sex is great. My lifestyle of eating healthy and regular exercise continues to help residual menopause symptoms. My cycles have not made an appearance for over a year which is one of the indicators of being in full menopause.

I don't know how long I will require trans dermal bio-identical hormone therapy but am happy with the decision to go this route for my body. It has changed my frustration into stress-free days and I can better accept going through menopause. Not having a period feels like sweet freedom. I can wear white pants with confidence.

Sharing my journey through menopause is my way of supporting other women going through this process. However, we are all unique individuals who need to be our own health care advocates. It's important to make the best choices for ourselves through research and doctor discussions. What works for me may not be the best option for you. Be motivated there is hope to feeling better going through menopause and always be pro-active when it comes to your health.

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Be Fabulous at Every Age!

             

Doing What I Can with what I Got is Good Enough

It's Good Enough

When it comes to fitness and especially my workouts, I make them my own.  If you have read my About Me section, you're aware of my medical issues requiring modification to certain exercises.

I do what I can with what I got and it's good enough. I can recall feeling defeated after my injuries and especially during neuro-rehab when I couldn't even lift my head off an exercise ball.

Tears of pain and frustration would flood over those appointments, and almost to the point of giving up. I would pray every night for things to be different and wake up the same. What an ugly place to be, but there I was years ago. I became so determined to fight, and I did.

Fast forward to now and I'm in a much better place physically, mentally and spiritually. Going through tough times builds a tough inner and outer shell.

The point of life is not to understand everything that happens to us, but handling it the best we can when hard knocks on the door. Giving up and being angry would be easy but what good does that serve ... nothing.

Acceptance of me and what I can do became the focus. Maintaining all my hard earned muscle took some creative program planning. I saw it as a positive challenge and not an obstacle. I had to discover through trial and error what worked best for me.

I am in tune and listen to what my body is telling me. There is a difference between exercise that feels good and not right. If anything twinges in the not right direction, I put on the brakes and immediately modify and do something else.

I don't believe in pushing past something that will hurt my body and land me flat on my back or worse. I appreciate the gift of what I can do and will not fudge this up.

Do I miss certain things ... yes. I get so excited watching others perform what I used to do. I want to jump in and do it with them. That is just my inner athlete still alive and well, but my outer athlete will dictate what I can do now.

Exercise is about being smart and creating a quality life. So many don't realize how good they're supposed to feel and accommodate chronic pain. My goal is to increase lean mass while decreasing or eliminating pain. I know what it feels like to be in severe pain and how hard I have worked to achieve being pain-free.

My fitness journey is not about doing what others can do, but doing the best at what I can do. It's about acceptance of my body and the thoughts surrounding it that belong to me. I believe in adopting a healthy lifestyle to create a quality life. I walk and teach this motto daily. It's about doing what I can with what I got and that's good enough.

Read more of my articles on the Verywell health network under Sports Nutrition. 

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Thanks for Reading and Stay Healthy

How I Eat to Stay Fit and Healthy

I Eat For Goals

I recently posted this motivation on my Instagram and Facebook:

" I do take the time to read your comments left on my motivational posts and excited you're striving to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Showing images of those dedicated to fitness including myself are to encourage and inspire. 

I receive both positive and negative feedback all part of being an online personality. I'm going to get very personal with you and you can read more about me on my Blog if you choose.

I'm over 50, a fitness professional and freelance writer who works extremely long hours. My day doesn't end when I step out of my studio. I look the way I do because of the lifestyle I walk daily.

I don't spend hours in the gym. I limit my workouts to one-hour sessions 4 to 5 days per week. I indulge on treats on occasion and eat incredible tasting healthy food.

I am a woman of God and my faith helps me with inner strength and getting through each day. I am passionate about helping people get healthy and would love to hug everyone making this choice. I believe life is a gift and I am not here to be anyone else or look like anyone else. I am also not here to shame others for not looking like a fitness model. 

My goal is always to be my best me each day and in that I may fail but pick up and keep trying. My image is to show that it's never too late, no circumstance too hard, and even injury so severe to not be able to do something. Articles and images are for inspiration and motivation as you work on becoming your best you.

Getting angry and discouraged because you're not personally making the choices to change your body does nothing but fuel resentment. It may even cause you to walk away from trying. I pray your thoughts and feelings would be changed for the positive. Also that your focus to become healthier would start today. 

Fitness is a journey and we're all works in progress striving for our best and never perfection. Embrace the now, love who you are now and start working right where you are. Today is what we have and narrowing that down more, this moment is the concern. What you're thinking and doing right now...is it creating a better, healthier you?"

The responses to this post were incredible, touching, and inspiring. I am a woman of my word and answering the call to several requests of what I eat on a weekly basis and my workout routine. I will begin with nutrition because I have found this to be the biggest struggle for people throughout my years of teaching health and fitness. 

I like to teach nutrition simply and focus on health. There's nothing secret or costly about eating for fitness goals. Sadly, too much complication has been placed on this topic. Food fears and guilt have been created through unrealistic marketing.

Let's all just take a deep breath and relax about eating healthy. Releasing the stress surrounding food is the first order of business. Healthy food is not the enemy and isn't the cause of our weight gain. Eating the right food is what will enable our body to be fit, healthy and strong.  

I feel blessed to have the ability to motivate and inspire you. We are all works in progress. Forget about perfection and just apply the best principles of healthy nutrition and fitness each day. This also includes eating off track on occasion. If any fitness professional tells you indulgence never occurs that is a bold face lie. I will personally answer to that statement.

I have been in the fitness industry over 30 years and have had my share of burgers, fries, pizza and brownies. I live a life of moderation and use a 90/10 percent eating strategy and sometimes 80/20 depending on the situation. Eating healthy is also about balance and allowing for the occasional treat meal.

Let's move on to what I eat during a typical work week. I'm a walk the talk trainer and adhere to what I teach my clients. Results come when consistent healthy food intake and exercise are happening.

I eat a wide variety of healthy food from good carbohydrates, lean proteins, healthy fats and lots of water. I can be a creature of habit and find myself eating the same meals every day, except for dinner which is typically changed each night.

I cook at home to be in control of what I eat. I eat simply, never count calories, and really try not to let myself feel hungry. I space my meals every 2 to 3 hours and that works for me. I use my palm as a guide for portion size and keep measuring cups handy for wet ingredients.

My typical daily nutritional intake looks like this:

Meal 1: Ozery Bakery Morning round with Coffee 

Meal 1: Option 2, Powered Up Oats with Coffee

1/2 cup steel cut oats
1/4 sliced banana
handful blueberries
handful walnuts









Meal 2: Open face peppered turkey and hummus

I enjoy this with a green smoothie
1 cup fresh pineapple chunks
large handful of power greens
(chard, kale, spinach), blend in water

Alpine Valley Organic Bread toasted
smear with organic hummus
top with peppered turkey











Meal 3: Sliced fruit with flax meal and yogurt

1 large nectarine or fruit of choice
I also like to use 1/2 cup blueberries
1/4 cup ground flax meal
1/2 cup Fage plain Greek yogurt
I like to top with a handful of raw unsalted mixed nuts
Stir and eat




Meal 3: Option 2, boiled eggs with sweet potatoes

1 full organic egg, 1 egg white mixed with mustard, sprinkle with paprika if desired
1/2 large sweet potato, cooked and cut in wedges

I like to dip my sweet potato in organic ketchup ... call me weird, but I have always been a ketchup kinda girl 




Meal 4: Grilled salmon and roasted veggies

Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, and red bell peppers drizzled with olive oil and tossed with basil pesto and minced garlic. Roast in open pan at 450 for 30 to 35 minutes

season and grill salmon outdoors for 25 minutes





Other Meal 4 Options I enjoy:

Roasted Veggies and Egg

Healthy Grilled Pizza

Brussels and Baked Stuffed Pork

I enjoy a small snack before bed and this really varies with my mood. I enjoy hummus or peanut butter on wheat toast or if I have baked a healthy treat, I will have that.

Check out my recipe page for more meal ideas. Also, head on over to Verywell and read my sports nutrition articles.

I hope this information is helpful and provides a great foundation for reaching fitness goals with healthy nutrition.

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Darla Leal, Fit Over 50!