How Exercise Helped Me – A Mother’s Perspective

As mothers we are used to putting ourselves last. However, neglecting exercise can lead to women facing serious health problems as we age.  Such problems include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, insulin resistance, unwanted weight gain, Diabetes, Osteoporosis and cancers.  

Prioritising our own exercise is so important. We need to take care of ourselves in order to take care of young children with activities, older teenagers with study pressures, or assisting elderly parents, often while simultaneously dealing with career demands.

“…Prioritising our own exercise is so important in order to take care of our children or assist our elderly parents.”

For women aged 35-50 there are many symptoms of menopause that the current generation of women are largely not aware of and therefore suffer alone through.  It seems we are left to figure out this stage of life on our own. My friends are telling me that they have increased feelings of anxiety, sleep disturbances, joint pain, heart palpitations and odd things like itchy ears and skin. Frozen shoulder has recently been linked to menopause. It has not occurred to many of my friends that these symptoms could due to perimenopause.

Menopause, for me, has been a wake up call to prioritise my own self care and a healthy diet. To learn about what I need to do to prepare for this stage of life, and to ensure in my old age, that I am able to be active and mobile, that I have plenty of muscle (rather than becoming frail as seniors tend to), and able to garden and travel as I please.  

 

 

I was concerned about Osteoporosis so I had my bone density checked (turns out it’s great, thanks). For many women, this is a condition that creeps up on us, and we only first become aware of it when we suffer a fracture.  I am letting all my friends know that pilates, yoga and walking are not enough to maintain bone strength!  It has long been known that to build bone, you need to lift weights.  If you don’t know where to start I recommend consulting an Exercise Physiologist for a sensible, supervised exercise program.

“…I am letting all my friends know that pilates, yoga and walking are not enough to maintain bone strength! You need to lift weights.”

I am getting help from my GP regarding my menopause symptoms, and I love regular strength training and cardio sessions with my Exercise Physiologist.  It feels like a catch up with a friend, who helps me to be consistent with exercise and progress accordingly, who sets up all the equipment for me and tidies everything away too.

Since joining the team at Longevity I have been able to commence regular sessions with an Exercise Physiologist and have re-habilitated a frustrating frozen shoulder that had troubled me for two years. I have also lost 4 kilos. I have been influenced by these behaviour change experts, to increase my walks and to switch my toasted cheese sandwich (dubbed Truck Stop Cheese) for tuna, cucumber, hummus and carrots instead.  

 

 

My shoulder is now pain free, and I am loving my workouts with my Exercise Physiologist, Annabel. I am balancing full time work with regular exercise for the first time since I had my kids (now aged 20 and 17).  I have more energy and am sleeping better than I have in years. Thanks to adding a 30-50 minute walk each week and completing regular Exercise Physiology sessions the scales that crept up during COVID (thank you toasted cheese sandwiches and banana bread) are slowly edging back down.

Instead of chocolates, bath bombs or pyjamas, why not treat mum to a session with an Exercise Physiologist. Our lovely team members would love to meet your Mum and to help her to manage her health and extend her life expectancy, with a suitable exercise program, whatever stage of life she is in.  Call 1300 964 002 to book in at one of our locations in Drummoyne, Edgecliff, Marrickville, Castle Hill, Randwick, Pymble, Balmain, Kingsgrove, Neutral Bay, Coburg – Melbourne, and Barrie, Ontario – Canada.