The Facts About Hormones And Fitness After Forty

By Jon Benson

Fact: Did you know that many women going through or on the other side of menopause often experience a severe drop in their testosterone level? The sad thing is that so many people have ignored this issue with women over the age of 40, that menopausal symptoms have, in some cases, simply become accepted as part of "growing old."

Nonsense.

Don't settle for that! There are many things you can do about menopause and the hormonal issues it can bring about (both males and females experience testosterone declines with age, so men...listen up!) First, let's talk about some natural means of overcoming menopause.

In Jill Langham's incredible free report, "The Menopause Solution" (available when you purchase Fit Over 40), many practical treatments are discussed. Some involve what's known as HRT, or "hormone replacement therapy", and that is most definitely a valid form of treatment and one to discuss with your physician.
However, Jill will be the first to tell you, as will the other 12 ladies all over menopausal age profiled in the Fit Over 40 book, that simple dietary changes and weight training can make an absolute 'world' of difference - not just in how you look, but in how your body produces hormones naturally...especially testosterone!

Testosterone can increase up to 50% through consistent weight training. Can you believe that? I noticed this I was forced to cut back on my HRT when consuming more protein and training harder, so I know this is true in my case. This is why the role models in Fit Over 40 are so important. Read what they do and why they do it... and then apply their strategies to your own life. These people feel so good primarily because their hormones are optimal!

That's right... and I'll repeat it. HORMONE HEALTH MEANS GOOD HEALTH. Without proper hormonal function, no matter how 'well' you eat or how 'much' you workout, you may never feel As good as you can or discard those fatty hips or soft stomach.

Testosterone is also key to keeping your sex drive high and alive. This is... well, rather important to most people! Those of us who eat and live the Fit Over 40 Lifestyle often report feeling no different than when we were teenagers in how we respond and feel sexually and physically. This is due to the fact that we're using our body the way it was designed to be used - and in most cases, that's sufficient to create all the natural hormones you need. Sometimes, HRT is necessary.
A special menopause supplement in the March 1999 issue of the "American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology"recommends the addition of androgen (testosterone) to estrogen for all women undergoing surgical menopause. The report says, "The use of androgen therapy may also be beneficial to women who experience loss of libido and other symptoms of testosterone deficiency during natural menopause."

This is something best discussed with your physician. However, Jill Langham's report covers both sides - the natural and the HRT - and gives you an ideal role model to follow to balance both. Jill may hold the title of "Fittest Female At Fifty", but let me tell you, she has the body and the get up and go of a LUCKY 20-year-old!

Let me say this in closing: I believe, as other nutritionists echo, that hormone balance is MORE important for fat loss than any single factor, including "calories out, calories in." Just because you consume fewer calories than you take in does NOT mean you will lose body fat. I've seen this so often it's not even funny. We're not talking 'starvation diets'... everyone agrees this is not the way to go. I'm talking 'mild' caloric restrictions, just as all the experts (including myself) will tell you to do, resulting in zero fat loss.

Why? Chances are great that it's hormonal. That can be changed! I discuss hormones in detail in Fit Over 40. Hormones make or break the fat loss cycle. And, as Jill and others in Fit Over 40 prove, the secret often lies in simple, consistent changes in lifestyle.

You can do it - and while you're at it, never accept the social 'norms' for aging!

Jon Benson, Creator/Co-Author
Fit Over 40: Role Models For Excellence At Any Age