I would walk 500 miles or will I?
For about the last year I have been knee deep in menopause research. The more I research the further down the rabbit hole I get, which is quite interesting considering very little is actually known about this stage of a woman’s life. One of the common denominators is that women of a certain age (over 40) need to move more, we need to walk, do strength training, pilates, yoga and/or swimming. Basically if you have managed to avoid the gym your whole life, perimenopause will force you to become a gym bro!
I reluctantly accepted this and am in the gym, I do yoga a few times a week and try get a hike in once a week. Despite all of that I am still not getting my steps in every day. I tried getting up more often and walking around at home but still I was getting no where near the 10 000 steps that we are supposed to be taking. I set my daily goal to 6 000 and started taking the puppy for a walk around the neighbourhood – nothing hectic just 20-30 minutes and even with that I am barely getting to the 6 000 goal I have set.
So What Now?
WTF now? Seriously WHAT must I do now! I have dedicated 90 minutes 5 days a week to exercising. I make sure I get up regularly from my desk to walk around. But still I am not getting in the steps I need to not prematurely DIE!
My time gets split between my job, my family, my health, my friends and everything else – I simple do not have more time to WALK around and I am finding it extremely frustrating.
I am supposed to be enjoying this season of my life – the kids aren’t as dependent on me, we are more financially stable but instead of enjoying the extra time I am lifting weights, walking in circles and trying to get my heart rate up!
It is overwhelming. It is frustrating. It is unfair. It is exhausting. My friend Eve often says (about many things) – it’s as scam and this, my fellow middle aged women, is a SCAM!
Light at the End of the Tunnel
During my most recent research, I came across this article from the BBC. It says that getting 4 000 steps in daily can still be beneficial. WHY then is 10 000 still thrown around as the holy grail of mortality.
I understand that the more you do, the more beneficial it is. But why can’t we set a more realistic number that doesn’t make us feel like we are lazy sedentary blobs.
The changes are good that once I hit the 4000 step goal a few times, I will be start doing more. But trying every day to get to 10 000 and failing every day is very demotivating especially when I am trying to deal with the 35 symptoms of perimenopause.
Yes, this post was somewhat of a rant but life right now feels like an uphill climb and I am tired!
Tell me, how many steps are you consistently getting in?
