Start with a mix of moderate and vigorous exercise to burn off menopausal weight gain. Your routine should include aerobic exercises like swimming, walking, bicycling, and running, as well as resistance or strength training. “What you want to employ now is high-intensity interval training (HIIT),” Dr. Peeke says. “Basically that means that moderate levels of exercise are interspersed with high-intensity intervals throughout the week.
“What we did when we were 30 and what we do when we’re 60 is very different,” says Kathryn A. Boling, MD, a family medicine physician at Mercy Medical Center in Lutherville, Maryland, noting that it’s important to adjust exercise regimens with age.
If you’ve lost some gusto, create incentives for yourself to stay moving. “I have an Apple Watch, and I like to see that [completed exercise] circle closed,” Dr. Boling says. “Try activities that have you lifting, pushing, and pulling.”
Bear in mind that exercise intensity is personal. So, someone who hasn’t exercised in years may require very little exercise for it to feel intense, while someone in great shape may be better suited to, say, try a HIIT class. When in doubt — and also to avoid injury — find a personal trainer or physical therapist to help guide your routines.
